GOP Doctors Caucus Responds To Collapse of the CLASS Act Program

Statement

Members of the GOP Doctors Caucus today released the following statements in response to Friday's announcement by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that the CLASS Act Program--a component of Obamacare--was deemed insolvent.

Rep. Phil Gingrey, M.D., Co-Chair (GA-11): "Congress -- both Republicans and Democrats -- have been raising red flags about CLASS and its threat to taxpayers since 2009. This announcement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that CLASS cannot be fixed is a good first step. However, our country simply cannot afford to leave this program in statute. The Administration used accounting tricks and strong arm tactics to get this flawed program passed into law and, without repeal, I fear they will use those same tricks to try and revive the program at a later date. Congress must act now to end CLASS once and for all, and moreover, to prevent Obamacare from wreaking further havoc not only on our healthcare system, but on our nation's economy as a whole."

Rep. Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D. (LA-07): "From the beginning I have pointed out the CLASS Act is fiscally irresponsible and unsustainable. Secretary Sebelius never had the authority she claimed to expand or to modify the program and implement it. Congress must finalize the end of the CLASS Act by passing my bill to repeal the program. American taxpayers will only be satisfied with this victory when the egregious statute is off the books."

Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10): "Every day, Americans are discovering that the Democrats used dishonest budgetary tricks to claim their healthcare overhaul was "paid for', and every day, more and more taxpayers have decided that they want a refund on Obamacare," said Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10). "With questions surrounding the constitutionality of the individual mandate, the repeal of the 1099 provision, and now the CLASS Act report -- we are truly starting to see the wheels fall off of the Administration's pride and joy. It's time that we put a full stop to the implementation of Obamacare by repealing it in its entirety and replacing it with a market based solution that Americans can actually afford."

Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08): "By their own admission, the Obama Administration has conceded that an additional provision in Obamacare will not work. With the ending of the CLASS program, due to financial insolvency, it is time that we fully repeal this government takeover of health care and replace it with commonsense solutions that focuses on patients, access to quality care, and lowers the overall cost of health care."

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R.N. (NY-25): "CLASS Act was flawed by design. The numbers never added up and it should not have taken 19 months to realize what actuaries warned was not sustainable before the passage of the Affordable Care Act. This legislation will continue to disintegrate as we peel back the layers of its 3,000 pages. The American People deserve true Health Care Reform."

Rep. John Fleming, M.D. (LA-04): "It's never a good idea for the federal government to establish an unsustainable program like the CLASS Act. This is just one of the many disastrous policies in ObamaCare. Now is the time for Congress to repeal the CLASS Act and the Administration's underlying health care reform package."

House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Tom Price, M.D. (R-GA): "The Department of Health and Human Services has concluded that the CLASS Act program is not financially sustainable. One has to wonder what took them so long. From the very beginning, it was obvious this program was not viable and that it was built around budgetary gimmicks meant to hide its true cost and the trust cost of the entire health care reform package. It is emblematic of the same flawed thinking and approach that is embodied in the entire law that was rammed through Congress under the previous Democrat majority. While one less, certain to fail government program is welcome news, President Obama's entire health care reform package needs to be repealed to make way for patient-centered reforms like those in the Empowering Patients First Act."

Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-01): "The president's health care law threatens the good parts of our health care system and will only further insert government bureaucrats into health care decisions that should be made by the patient and their physician. CLASS Act is yet another example. The health care law fails to address the cost crisis in health care, and in fact, dramatically increases costs for all involved. The core program is simply too expensive, and the problem was compounded by not doing enough to address important cost issues."