Democratic lawmakers want ND off Affordable Care Act lawsuit

State democratic legislators are asking Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to drop North Dakota from a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act.

Democrats claim more than 300,000 North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions are covered by the health care law.

Stenehjem disputes that number, saying the uninsured rate has remained almost the same since the law was passed.

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"Putting this in the hands of the court to make these decisions is not right. We need to fix the problems we have to and make sure this continues to be the law of the land," said Sen. John Grabinger, D-Jamestown.

"If you belong to a group and buy your insurance that way, the law already and has long required that there be coverage for preexisting conditions so if you belong to those groups and you sign up, they have to take you," said Stenehjem.

Democrats say they want Stenehjem to stop using state resources on the lawsuit.

He says since Texas is taking the lead, it's not costing North Dakota.