Rep. Mo Brooks: People who live 'good lives' should pay less for health insurance

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An Alabama Congressman has prompted a wave a backlash with his comment Monday regarding health insurance coverage of those with pre-existing conditions.

Speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper about House plans to vote on a revised health insurance bill, Rep. Mo Brooks, R-AL, referenced people who lead "good lives" and said they should not have to pay as much as others.

"My understanding is that (the new proposal) will allow insurance companies to require people who have higher health care costs to contribute more to the insurance pool," Brooks said. "That helps offset all these costs, thereby reducing the cost 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--that are seeing their costs skyrocketing."

Brooks, who said he's "seriously considering" a run for U.S. Senate, opposed the earlier healthcare plan endorsed by Republican leaders and President Donald Trump. He now says he will join with other House Freedom Caucus members in supporting an overhaul of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, after a provision was added that would allow states to get waivers on some of the care mandates for those with pre-existing conditions.

Later in the CNN interview, Brooks acknowledged some people who maintain their health can still have pre-existing conditions.

"In fairness, a lot of these people with pre-existing conditions, they have those conditions through no fault of their own," he said. "And I think our society, under those circumstances, needs to help. The challenge though is that it's a tough balancing act between the higher cost of these mandates which denies people coverage because they can't afford their health insurance policies...and having enough coverage to help those people truly in need."

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