Washington, DC - Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-19) has again voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and additional health care related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.  This is the second full repeal of Obamacare approved by the House.  In addition, 30 other votes have attempted to partially repeal or defund the program.

“Obamacare, as a whole, is bad for the country.  It raises taxes 21 times costing over $675 billion over ten years.  And it’s actually increased the cost of health insurance, not lowered the cost,” Shimkus said. 

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that private health insurance costs will increase $2,100 per year in 2016 due to Obamacare compared to if it had not been implemented.

“It takes away an individual’s choice by mandating coverage onto everyone.  The law also has increased the federal government’s role in funding abortion and plans that cover abortion,” he noted.

“Another problem I have with Obamacare is the unelected Independent Payment Advisory Board that will determine whether Medicare should pay for certain treatments.  This will remove decision making away from the doctor-patient relationship into a bureaucracy.”

Shimkus also cited published reports that indicate Obamacare will result in job cuts and noted, “Several corporate officials testified before Congress that this law has already forced them to not expand their business, to consider moving employees into part-time status in order to avoid having them deemed full-time, and to basically spend their entire company’s profits on health insurance.  That is not good for our economy, not good for employment, not good for our country.

“I have voted against government-run health care consistently.  I have also voted for helping to incentivize the uninsured through a market-based approach.  If we are given the chance to do that again, I do support replacing Obamacare with policies that will help reduce the number of uninsured without harming the economy.”

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