In another sign that health care is a key issue in this year’s midterm election, Gov. Rick Scott’s U.S. Senate campaign released a new ad (see below) Tuesday morning defending Scott’s position on providing coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.
Democrats were quick to respond with their own ad (see below) accusing Scott of “putting politics over people and supporting a plan that allows insurance companies to gut health care protections for Floridians with pre-existing conditions.”
The :30 ad from the Scott campaign is called “It’s Personal.” It highlights Scott’s personal story of growing up in a family that struggled to get healthcare for his brother with a pre-existing health condition.
“I want to tell you about a family with a pre-existing health condition,” Scott says at the beginning of the spot. “They grew up in public housing, rarely saw a doctor. One the kids had a hip disease.
“Their mom would drive 200 miles to a charity hospital to get him treatment. That was my family growing up,” Scott goes on to say. “I support forcing insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions.
“For Senator Nelson, it’s just another political issue. But for me, it’s personal.”
Incumbent Bill Nelson and Democrats have been critical of Scott accusing him of failing to expand Medicaid coverage that would have provided health care to 800,000 Floridians and questioning Scott’s position on pre-existing conditions.
The Senate Majority PAC paid for the Democratic ad.
“Millions of Floridians count on their health insurance to survive and Rick Scott showed them that he is willing to put their lives that at risk for his own political gain,” said Hannah Hurley, spokesperson for SMP. “For the people of Florida, health care isn’t political, it’s personal. They need a senator who will fight for them and protect their care, but Rick Scott is only capable of looking out for himself and his own interests. Floridians deserve better.”
The Democrat spot features a woman who is a Florida voter and a breast cancer survivor.
“Governor Scott, I survived bilateral breast cancer. But only because I had health insurance,” the woman, Donna Morton, says in the spot. “You supported letting insurance companies gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions,” the woman goes on to say.
“And that’s why I will never support you,” she says. “You put your political party over doing what’s right. Mr. Scott, this may be just politics to you. But to me, it’s my life.”
But the Scott campaign insists he has always been supportive of providing health care coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.
“Governor Scott’s experience helped shape his support for forcing insurance companies to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions, and is why he has long believed this requirement should be a key component of any healthcare reform,” the Scott campaign said in the release.
