ROKITA’S RADICAL VIEW OF HEALTH CARE DANGEROUS FOR HOOSIERS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  With Hoosiers’ health care and economic security hanging in the balance, today Democratic Indiana Attorney General nominee Jonathan Weinzapfel called his opponent’s positions on health care “extreme and dangerous.”

Former Congressman Todd Rokita, in an interview published over the weekend in the Indianapolis Business Journal, said “government-run health care is a terrible proposition,” raising additional concerns about his views on health care for seniors and veterans. 

Rokita, who voted to repeal or amend the Affordable Care Act 54 times as a member of Congress, has also supported legislation that would allow Americans over the age of 55 to be charged up to five times more for insurance coverage and has voiced support for raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 78.

“Todd Rokita opposes access to affordable health care, he wants to raise the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare, and he doesn’t support protecting those with pre-existing conditions from exorbitant insurance rates,” said Weinzapfel, a former Evansville Mayor and Chancellor at Ivy Tech.

“Based on his past statements and record in Congress, we know Todd Rokita will not stop at destroying the ACA. He also has Medicare, veteran’s health care and other important programs in his sights,” said Weinzapfel. 

Incumbent Attorney General Curtis Hill is arguing before the Supreme Court to declare the ACA unconstitutional, a lawsuit Weinzapfel has long opposed. If successful, hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers who access health care coverage via the ACA and the Healthy Indiana Plan will have their coverage stripped away. 

“Todd Rokita is just like Curtis Hill. He puts his radical political philosophy ahead of common sense and what’s good for people,” added Weinzapfel. “As we continue to face down this pandemic, now is not the time to be taking away anyone’s access to health care. As Attorney General, I will fight every day to preserve and protect it, so all Hoosiers can be safe and so we can get our economy back on track.”