Repealing Obamacare could deny 744,000 Minnesotans health insurance

Repealing the Affordable Care Act could deny some 744,000 Minnesotans access to health insurance because of their medical conditions, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation report.

Many people with preexisting conditions that are not considered severe could still get coverage, but they would likely have to pay more, said researcher Cynthia Cox.

Minnesota's relatively healthy population means fewer people are vulnerable to losing their coverage than in other states, Cox said.

"One in five people in Minnesota have a preexisting condition, but that's the low side of things in some states like in Alabama, one in three people have a preexisting condition that could lead them to being denied have coverage," she said.

Nationwide, millions of Americans with serious medical conditions could become uninsurable if Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act, Cox said.

While there's been much talk about repealing and replacing the law, Cox said, there aren't many details on what that would look like.

"There is bipartisan desire to have a replacement plan that protects people with preexisting conditions," Cox said, "but, again we don't really have those details and the details really matter."

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