Healthcare Law's Costly Spike

Statement

As we approach the 2nd anniversary of the passage of President Obama's signature healthcare law, many folks across East Alabama remain deeply concerned about its impact on our economy and want the law repealed. I agree.

According to a March 19th Ramussen survey, 56 percent of those surveyed favor repeal of the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare.

Hardworking families and our nation's seniors need both quality and dependable healthcare. It's a complex challenge. But I simply don't believe the healthcare law provides that piece of mind when it comes to healthcare for folks of any age in our country.

Many across East Alabama may have seen on the news recently the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the healthcare law will cost almost double what the President originally said it would.

At a price tag of $1.76 trillion over the next ten years, it just doesn't sit well with most folks. It certainly doesn't appear to have helped lower the overall cost of our healthcare system, as the legislation was intended to do.

The CBO also estimates approximately 4 million American workers will lose their health insurance provided by their employer because of this burdensome law. How can we allow this to happen?

This week, I am fighting to repeal a provision in the healthcare law called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). This provision creates a panel of what I consider to be 15 unelected Washington bureaucrats to ration Medicare benefits as they see fit to our seniors.

It's bad policy. Seniors need to be more in control of their Medicare coverage and benefits, not less. I will continue to advocate for repealing this board made of Washington bureaucrats who are not elected to the position on the panel. It is just not right.

Of course full repeal of the law will be difficult. Nevertheless I strongly supported H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, which would repeal the healthcare law.

Some of the most outlandish parts of this law have already been shelved by the President's own Administration because they are simply unworkable, such as the CLASS Act.

Don't forget that other portions, most importantly the individual mandate which requires all Americans to purchase healthcare coverage, are about to be considered by the Supreme Court for possible violations of the Constitution. The ruling will have huge consequences either way.

The House continues to work to repeal this law in full and by piece, but ether way I'm convinced it is bad economic medicine for America.

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