ROKITA’S RADICAL VIEW OF HEALTH CARE DANGEROUS FOR HOOSIERS

For Immediate Release: Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 Media Contact: media@weinzapfelforAG.com

ROKITA’S RADICAL VIEW OF HEALTH CARE DANGEROUS FOR HOOSIERS

(Former Congressman wants to raise Medicare eligibility age to 78; voted against health care for Hoosiers 54 times)

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.”

FOOTNOTE:  Jonathan Weinzapfel was elected mayor of Evansville in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. After his two terms as mayor, Weinzapfel served as chancellor of the Ivy Tech Evansville campus from 2014-2019. He also served in the Indiana General Assembly as a state representative from 1999-2003. He currently works as a partner at the law firm of Jones Wallace in Evansville. Jonathan and his wife Patricia reside in Evansville and have three children. For more information on Jonathan or his campaign for Indiana Attorney General, please visit www.WeinzapfelforAG.com. To schedule an interview, email media@weinzapfelforAG.com.