Smith Statement on Two-Year Anniversary of Obamacare

Statement

Tomorrow marks the two-year anniversary of the enactment of the President's health care law, which includes an individual mandate requiring all Americans to purchase health insurance from a private company regardless of whether they want to or not.

This week, House Republicans voted to repeal another provision of Obamacare and replace the law with proven lawsuit abuse reforms that we know reduce health care costs. The PATH Act repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a panel of 15 federal employees created by Obamacare who can make major cuts to Medicare that are likely to restrict seniors' access to treatment and services. Republicans have voted 26 times to fully repeal, defund or dismantle portions of the health care law.

Chairman Smith: "Two years later and the President's health care law is twice as bad as we first thought. Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced that Obamacare will cost almost double its original $900 billion price tag. The President's policies have failed, and his health care law is making the economy worse.

"That's why this week House Republicans continued our efforts to repeal the President's government takeover of health care and replace it with common-sense reforms that lower costs and increase access. We passed the PATH Act to repeal the IPAB and ensure that decisions over medical care are made by patients and their doctors rather than a panel of unelected and unaccountable government officials. The legislation also includes meaningful malpractice reforms to address frivolous lawsuits that amount to legalized extortion of doctors and hospitals.

"Unlike Obamacare, medical liability reforms in the PATH Act save American taxpayers money. The CBO estimates that reforms included in this legislation will reduce the federal budget deficit by more than $45 billion over the next ten years.

"Despite roadblocks in the Democrat-controlled Senate, Republicans remain committed to repealing Obamacare and replacing the President's takeover of health care with common-sense solutions that curb costs, expand access to care, and eliminate unfair and unconstitutional mandates and penalties."

Twenty-seven states are challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare and oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court begin next week.

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