Obamacare
America has the world’s finest doctors, hospitals, and medical innovations, but all that is in jeopardy because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. I truly believe that Obamacare is the most significant domestic policy issue of our time, and stopping it is one of my top priorities in Congress.
In March of 2010, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said of Obamacare, “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it.” Unfortunately, she was right. Obamacare is not yet in force, but problems are emerging as implementation proceeds:
· While Obamacare was supposed to bring down the cost of health insurance, the average premium for a family has risen by more than $3,000 since it was signed into law.
· President Barack Obama has repeatedly promised that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it” under Obamacare, but the Congressional Budget Office now estimates that 7,000,000 Americans will lose access to their employer-based health insurance as a result of the law.
· Because the most stringent regulations apply to businesses with over 50 employees, many employers are already laying off staff and/or reducing work hours to avoid the exorbitant expenses and compliance requirements of Obamacare.
· Despite assurances to the contrary during debate over the law, new insurance mandates coming out of Washington threaten fundamental freedoms by requiring employers to cover services that directly conflict with their moral and religious principles.
Obamacare will be hugely expensive to each of us as consumers of healthcare. On top of that, the government will hire 16,500 new IRS agents to administer and enforce the provisions of the program. They will be charged with enforcing the mandate that citizens buy insurance, while many constitutional scholars believe that forcing citizens to buy any product is unconstitutional. The fact of the recent revelations of IRS corruption only reinforces the suspicion that compliance waivers granted to companies are politically motivated. Equal application of the law does not apply to Obamacare.
Putting a stop to Obamacare is one of my top priorities in Congress. That is why I co-sponsored and voted for H.R. 45, which passed in the House on May 16, 2013, and if enacted into law, would repeal Obamacare in its entirety. I do understand that under a Democrat-controlled Senate and with President Obama in office for four more years, we must look for other ways to accomplish this goal in the near term.
A strategy to actually stop Obamacare will involve tying defunding provisions to must-pass fiscal legislation. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the Constitution of the United States grants the power over federal spending decisions to Congress, and I want to see us use that power to stop Obamacare. During debate over the last Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the Federal Government, I proposed and fought for an amendment that would have prohibited any money from being used to write or enforce the new rules.
We need to ultimately repeal Obamacare and replace it with a more competitive and economically rational system. Healthcare reform should:
· Allow families and businesses to buy insurance across state lines.
· End frivolous lawsuits that result in defensive medicine and exorbitant malpractice insurance premiums.
· Enhance Health Savings Accounts.
· Devise a viable approach to providing high risk pools for pre-existing conditions.
· Provide incentives for healthier lifestyles.
For more information concerning my work and views on Health issues, please contact me.
More on Obamacare
“Today a federal appeals court eviscerated Obamacare by ruling that billions of dollars of federal subsidies are illegal. The purpose of the Obamacare subsidies was to encourage states to set up healthcare insurance exchanges. When 34 states including Oklahoma refused to create exchanges, the Administration created federal exchanges to provide subsidies, contrary to the clear language in the law," said Congressman Jim Bridenstine. “This is another example of the President attempting to change the law by decree, which the D.C.
This is a great day for religious liberty in America. The Supreme Court has ruled, although more narrowly than many would prefer, that closely held companies do not have to leave their deeply held religious convictions at the door of their businesses. I celebrate with the Green and Hahn families and offer my sincere appreciation for standing on their beliefs.
Today the House considered a bill titled the “Keep Your Health Plan Act”. I voted against it. While this is a well-intentioned messaging bill, this law would place the President’s lie on the shoulders of Congress. Since insurance companies cannot alter course on a dime, Congress cannot keep this promise any more than the President.
One of the fundamental flaws of the Affordable Care Act is that, despite its name, it makes health insurance more expensive. Today, the Manhattan Institute released the most comprehensive analysis yet conducted of premiums under Obamacare for people who shop for coverage on their own. Here’s what we learned. In the average state, Obamacare will increase underlying premiums by 41 percent. As we have long expected, the steepest hikes will be imposed on the healthy, the young, and the male.
I applaud Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett for taking a courageous stand against this destructive law from the beginning.
Please read Mayor Bartlett's July 2013 letter to Kathleen Sebelius:
Congressman Jim Bridenstine commented following the vote to pass a Continuing Resolution and extend the Debt Ceiling:
“I voted ‘No’ on the bill to raise the debt ceiling without any spending controls and fund the government without providing any relief to millions of Americans being harmed by Obamacare.
Statement from Congressman Jim Bridenstine:
Today, the House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution that funds the government, prevents a shutdown, and stops ObamaCare from being imposed on the American People.
The fight to stop ObamaCare now turns to the Senate, and the American people expect and deserve an up or down vote on the bill passed in the House.