Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said today that President Obama should’ve apologized to the millions of Americans whose health insurance was canceled because it failed to meet Affordable Care Act requirements.
“These problems are inexcusable, and it’s embarrassing,” McCaskill said.
McCaskill’s comments follow remarks made yesterday by former President Bill Clinton, who said President Obama should find a way to let people keep their health coverage, even if it means changing the new insurance law.
McCaskill said allowing those affected to keep their previous health care coverage could be a solution, if the coverage is available at, or near, the same cost, and if it would protect those affected from bankruptcy if they’re hospitalized.
“The goal here is to get people real health insurance that they afford,” McCaskill said. “If it means continuing policies that provide that meaningful insurance, then we’ve got to do that.”
McCaskill also said that there should be an affordable alternative made available to those affected through the health care exchange.
“It’s unacceptable that anyone would not be able to access the alternative, that is going to be hopefully competitive and better, and lose their current policy,” McCaskill said. “That’s what we’re trying to get fixed, and all of us are working very hard to try to figure out how to do that.”
The White House has said it’s working on changes that would ease the impact of the cancelation notices, and McCaskill said she hopes there will be a solution by the end of the month.
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