Today, the House GOP Doctors Caucus released the following statements in support of H.R. 2667 and H.R. 2668, bills that would delay the employer and individual mandate required by Obamacare:
Rep. Phil Gingrey, M.D. (GA-11): Though the Obama administration delayed the job-killing employer mandate, they left the rest of America on the hook for an enormous tax hike. Instead of picking winners and losers, House Republicans acted to protect all Americans and job creators from the law’s devastating effects. Our work is far from over, however. Providing relief for taxpayers by delaying these costly mandates for one year is not enough, and I will continue fighting to dismantle every single piece of this ‘train wreck’ of a law. Repealing Obamacare in its entirety is paramount to enacting health care reform that truly lowers costs, increases patient access, and protects quality of care.
Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-01): Simply put, this law is unworkable. I was extremely disappointed to see the administration give protection to businesses by delaying the employer mandate while still requiring individuals to purchase health insurance. If the president believes employers deserve protection and flexibility from his health law, why doesn’t he share the same concern for all Americans? It is clear this administration is still putting politics over the needs of the American people.
Rep. Paul Gosar, M.D. (AZ-04): I voted to delay implementation of Obamacare with the intention that in the next year we will scrap the worst law Congress has passed since Prohibition. This law represents the single largest peace-time tax increase on an already over-taxed American public. Obamacare destroys the relationship patients have with their doctors and puts bureaucrats in the middle. The impact of this law has cost workers their jobs, raised policy premiums and limited health options. President Obama already admitted that his law was unworkable. Democrats have admitted it is a “trainwreck”—a phrase that insults trainwrecks. Employers and labor unions agreed this law is misguided. As this trainwreck plows full steam ahead toward the American people, I will make every effort to save my constituents from this disaster. Today’s vote is a part of that effort.
Rep. Tim Murphy, M.D. (PA-18): Our Oversight Subcommittee work revealed countless flaws and fumbles in the Affordable Care Act. This unpopular, budget-busting law is not ready for primetime, and today’s bills make sure that individuals are guaranteed the same relief as corporations.
Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08):It is not fair to hardworking Americans that the President decided to give a break to businesses from his healthcare law, but not families. Families are feeling the pinch while employers are being forced to cut full-time positions and limit employees to less than 30 hours a week. I consistently hear stories from businesses, school corporations, and local governments back home in Indiana that they are struggling under the law’s requirements. This law is unworkable for businesses and unaffordable for families. I am proud to join my colleagues to provide temporary relief to all Hoosiers while we continue working for permanent repeal of this disastrous law.
Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (GA-06): The Obama Administration’s decision to delay implementation of the employer mandate joins a growing list of failures related to the rollout of the president’s health care law – all of which have been stark reminders that the American people simply cannot trust Washington to competently or compassionately run their health care. The House of Representatives is taking action to delay the mandate for both employers and individuals because the American people ought to have relief from the failings of ObamaCare. That relief must ultimately be made permanent by a full repeal of the president’s health care law so that it no longer threatens the health and well-being of individuals, families, job creators and the nation’s health care system. A full repeal would also pave the way for patient-centered health care reforms that put patients, families and doctors in charge, expands access to affordable health care choices, tackles insurance challenges like portability and pre-existing conditions and helps address the rising cost of health care in America
Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10): As a medical doctor, I understand firsthand the disastrous effects of Obamacare, and have fought tooth and nail to repeal this deplorable law since it was passed in 2010. Obamacare will destroy our economy, increase our nation’s debt, and limit healthcare options for millions of Americans. While today’s vote to delay Obamacare’s employer and individual mandates until 2015 is a step in the right direction, we cannot stop here. We must work to rip Obamacare out by the roots and replace it with common-sense reform that will actually lower costs, deliver care, and focus on the true needs of American families. We can no longer afford to pay the price for this overreaching and onerous law, and it’s time we repeal it once and for all.
Rep. Rep. Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX-26): While the President is giving a pass to employers by not requiring them to offer healthcare coverage next year, he is giving no such pass to individual citizens. I believe that providing relief to businesses while denying that same relief to individuals is inherently unfair. For this reason, I supported H.R. 2668, the Fairness for American Families Act, which provides individuals with the same one year delay the President has offered businesses.
Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01): “Individuals and families deserve the same relief under Obamacare as big businesses. The President’s decision to give them a one year delay from the insurance mandate but not individuals and families is unfair. This law needs to be applied in a uniform way. It shouldn’t benefit one group at the expense of another. Despite promises that Obamacare would insure every American with quality, affordable healthcare, we’re seeing firsthand how it’s leading to higher premiums, denied care, and fewer jobs. In Maryland, young people could pay up to 150% more for their insurance under the Obamacare exchange. It’s clear that everyone deserves relief from Obamacare’s bad medicine – not just big businesses – so we can get our economy growing again and get more people back to work.
Rep. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA-06): By delaying the business mandate the Administration has admitted that Obamacare is not going to work for businesses. However, just delaying the business mandate won’t protect American families from skyrocketing premiums and other Obamacare provisions. That’s why it’s critical for the House to pass The Authority for Mandate Delay Act which will delay both the business mandate and the individual mandate. We need to do whatever we can to protect the American people from the harmful effects resulting from the implementation of Obamacare.
Rep. Joe Heck, M.D. (NV-03): With already one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, government mandates that prevent businesses from expanding or cause them to decrease work hours could be disastrous for Nevada workers. While I still believe the employer mandate needs to be repealed entirely, this delay will hopefully give business owners time to gain a better understanding of the law and prevent short term damage to the economy. I supported the individual mandate delay because I have always believed that we should create incentives for people to purchase insurance and participate in the greatest health care system in the world rather than punish them for not complying with a government mandate.
Rep. John Fleming, M.D. (LA-04): Any action to take the teeth out of Obamacare is a step in the right direction. It needs to be repealed or, short of that, defunded before it can become another massive entitlement that pushes up health care costs, places government in between doctors and patients, costs jobs, and increases the deficit. The Obama Administration is already trying to back away from the mandate and fines it was about to impose on businesses. By today's vote we are saying that the same relief should be offered to individuals as a stopgap, while we continue every legislative effort to fully end Obamacare.
