WEINZAPFEL CRITICIZES HILL FOR FAILING TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF HOOSIERS

EVANSVILLE, IND – As the U.S. Supreme Court considers Indiana’s partisan lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, today Jonathan Weinzapfel, the Democratic nominee for Indiana Attorney General criticized Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill for failing to protect Hoosiers’ health and safety.

“In the middle of a pandemic, instead of standing up and using the power of his office to get vital information about COVID-19 cases in nursing homes released to the public, Curtis Hill is fighting to strip away the health care of nearly half a million Hoosiers,” said Weinzapfel. “His priorities and his judgment are just plain wrong.”Hill has joined the Trump administration in the lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Opening briefs were filed today with the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now more than ever, Hoosiers understand how critically important access to health care really is,” added Weinzapfel. “People won’t be safe and our economy won’t get back on track if Hoosiers can’t see a doctor or get the care they need. Hill’s lawsuit would dismantle protections for those with pre-existing conditions and would destroy the Healthy Indiana Plan. It’s completely unacceptable.”

Weinzapfel also called out Hill for his “failure of leadership” surrounding the release of information detailing the COVID-19 cases in Indiana nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The Indiana State Department of Health is refusing to release any information, despite repeated requests from news media outlets and organizations like the AARP Indiana. Weinzapfel criticized Attorney General Hill for failing to push for the release of nursing home data.

“Every day, Hoosiers are making personal family decisions about how to care for their loved ones.  If you have a loved one inside one of these facilities, or if you’re deciding whether to visit or live in one of these facilities, you need to know whether people are sick there,” said Weinzapfel. “This is a matter of public information and public health.  The Attorney General could offer clear guidance here and Hill’s failure to do so is a failure of leadership.”

As Attorney General, Weinzapfel said he would issue a legal opinion advising that the data is, in fact, public information and should be released. He would also pressure the Indiana State Department of Health to do whatever it takes to compile this data in a way that could be shared with the public.

“It’s not just Curtis Hill who’s failing Hoosier families on health care,” Weinzapfel said. “Every Republican candidate for Attorney General supports the lawsuit that would take health care away from Hoosier families.”

“We need new leadership and a new direction in the Attorney General’s office to make the health and safety of all Hoosiers job one.”