Kinzinger Questions HHS Head on Health Care Law Problems

Press Release

Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today questioned Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing about the ongoing problems Americans are experiencing with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The hearing focused on the dropped coverage notices received by millions of Americans as well as the ongoing dysfunction of the health care website.

"Today's answers from the Administration will do little to comfort Sixteenth District residents who are finding they cannot keep their current health care or that their costs are going to skyrocket," said Kinzinger. "This law is causing serious pain, and hardworking, middle class families are bearing the brunt of it. This is unacceptable, and my colleagues and I will continue to work to provide fairness for all Americans."

Rep. Kinzinger focused his questioning on who in the Administration had knowledge of the website's problems and where funding for the website's fixes would come from. During a previous interview, Secretary Sebelius stated President Obama only heard about the website issues after the site went live, yet seemingly contradicted herself by stating during the hearing that the President received regular updates on the law's implementation. In a hearing last week, the website's contractors testified to raising significant red flags about the website well-before it went live.

Additionally, Kinzinger probed for more information about where current funding for the implementation of the law is coming from. Sebelius acknowledged that certain portions of current funding are being drawn from accounts not specifically designated for the ACA and promised to provide a detailed report to the committee. Reports show the health care website has cost taxpayers nearly half a billion dollars, and is still climbing.

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