GOP Lawmaker: Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Not Living ‘The Right Way’

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) on Monday implied that people with pre-existing health conditions simply aren’t living their lives “the right way.” Brooks, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, which opposed the previous GOP health-care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, made the comments while responding to a question about protections for people with pre-existing conditions in an interview with CNN on Monday. Lamenting the fact that people who “lead good lives” are “seeing their costs skyrocketing,” Brooks said the House GOP bill now in the works would allow health-insurance companies to require people with higher health-care costs to pay more. Their contribution would “help offset all these costs, thereby reducing the costs to those people who lead good lives, they’re healthy, they’ve done the things to keep their bodies healthy, and right now those are the people who’ve done things the right way, and they’re seeing their costs skyrocketing.” Apparently catching himself, Brooks then quickly conceded that many people with pre-existing conditions have those conditions “through no fault of their own.” It was too late to correct himself, however. Brooks’ comments were quickly met with outrage on social media, with many tweeting directly at the Alabama congressman to question how children born with heart defects or other illnesses could have not “led good lives.”