Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

Providing affordable healthcare for all Americans

I believe Americans deserve to have complete control over their health care decisions, providers, and policies. I have consistently fought to defeat the President's healthcare law. I believe that Obamacare was a misguided attempt to reform our nation's healthcare system. There are much more sensible ways to give Americans the healthcare that they deserve.

Since the Democrat's new health law was signed by the President, it has failed to lower costs of rising health care premiums. While this new law raised taxes immediately, there is no new coverage for most people with preexisting conditions until 2014. Also, at a time when our state governments are facing significant budget deficits, this healthcare law significantly expands Medicaid eligibility with an estimated sixteen million Americans who weren't eligible before. This growing entitlement will put a crushing burden on our state governments. In California, where our budget is already facing astronomical budget shortfalls, additional burdens such as this could be catastrophic.
According to some estimates, as many as 80% of small business owners would have to cancel their employees current health coverage if the law remains in place. Coupled with an employer mandate provision, the law would force many small business owners to lay off their employees.

I strongly believe that every one of my constituents deserves access to affordable, quality, and portable health insurance. I also believe individuals with pre-existing conditions should not be denied coverage. By repealing the President's bill, we can begin from a clean slate to create new health care legislation that protects seniors, improves access of care, and does not bankrupt the country.

Source