On the third year anniversary of Obamacare’s passage, the GOP Doctors Caucus remains committed to a full repeal of the law.
Rep. Phil Gingrey, M.D. (GA-11) “Three years ago, a Democrat controlled Congress passed a health care law that President Obama said ‘brings down the cost of health care for families and businesses and the federal government,’ while expanding coverage to millions of Americans. Looking back, we now see that nothing could be farther from the truth. With billions in new taxes and a multitude of moving-target rules and regulations, the law is hurting small businesses and hindering job growth. In the meantime, more than seven million people have already lost their coverage completely. I am committed to continuing the fight for repeal of this disastrous law for job creators, families, and patients.”
Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-01) “Three years ago today the Democrat-led House passed a law that will forever change the way we deliver health care in this country. The only thing bipartisan about this bill was its opposition. It was a bad idea three years ago, and it’s still a bad idea today. I will continue to work with my colleagues to repeal this legislation, whether it be as a whole or piece-by-piece, and replace it with commonsense, patient-centered health care reform.”
Rep. Paul Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04): “Supporting Obamacare is like a chicken supporting Colonel Sanders. The Native American tribes in my district who have been on government healthcare the longest are now seeking private options. So should we.”
Rep. Larry Buschon, M.D. (IN-08):“As a former cardiothoracic surgeon, I understand healthcare decisions are better made between a patient and their doctor – not by government bureaucrats,” said Rep. Bucshon. “The Affordable Care Act takes the opposite approach and despite the President’s promises, premiums are on the rise for young people and middle class families, nearly 7 million Americans will lose their job-based health insurance plans, and care to our nation’s seniors is placed in the hands of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. Among the many new taxes, the Medical Device Tax is also particularly troubling for Indiana. The Hoosier state is home to a strong medical device industry and this 2.3% excise tax has already forced businesses to scrap plans for expansion. I have personally depended on these devices in the operating room to save the lives of my patients. This bottoms line is that the Affordable Care Act is bad for patients. My goal is quality, affordable healthcare for all of our citizens. Private sector reforms are needed – not a near government takeover.”
Rep. Charles Boustany, M.D. (LA-03) “Three years ago, Washington liberals forced a midnight vote to pass the healthcare law. For individuals, families, and small businesses struggling to pay for health care, this milestone is no cause for celebration. The President’s health care law contains over a trillion dollars in new taxes on employers, medical device makers, families buying health insurance, and others. I have introduced legislation repealing both the employer mandate tax and health insurance tax. These issues reinforce the fact the President’s health care law is an enormous tax burden. That’s the last thing our nation’s job creators need to see. We’ve already dismantled parts of Obamacare. Aggressive oversight must continue.”
Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10) “In just three years, Obamacare has already begun to destroy our liberty,” “It has allowed the government to usurp control of this country’s healthcare system, and as a result, the quality of care has been compromised, countless jobs have been lost, and Americans have been stripped of their freedom of choice. I will continue do everything I can to repeal Obamacare in its entirety and replace it with true patient-centered health care reform.”
Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (GA-06): “On the third anniversary of its enactment, those of us who believe in patient-centered solutions are committed to repealing the president’s health care law so that we can put in place reforms that expand access to quality, affordable health care choices for more Americans. There is no doubt that the status quo in health care is unacceptable. But, rather than solve the challenges in our health care system in a positive way, the president’s health care law focuses on empowering Washington bureaucrats. Patients, families, and doctors – not Washington – ought to be in charge of health care decisions.”
Rep. John Fleming, M.D. (LA-04) "The closer we get to full implementation of Obamacare, the more the American people see how it's poised to destroy patient-centered health care. For instance, we've seen how Obamacare has decimated Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which encouraged Americans to take charge of their health care by saving for medical expenses. Obamacare's government-centered approach has no room for such innovation. Today, I introduced the Helping Save Americans' Health Care Choices Act of 2013 to restore the tax credits and spending flexibility that were part of HSAs before Obamacare. Obamacare should be repealed in its entirety. I oppose it and have voted for its repeal on numerous occasions, and a full repeal remains my goal. However, as long as Senate Democrats and President Obama remain committed to this monstrosity, it’s important that we do what we can to blunt the damaging effects of Obamacare, while passing common sense reforms that put Americans back in charge of their own health care.”
Rep. Joe Heck, M.D. (NV-03)“Three years after it was passed, this law is just as flawed today as it was back then,” Rep. Joe Heck said. “We know that this bill will not achieve its main stated purposes: to decrease health care costs and allow people to keep their current health insurance coverage. It makes cuts to Medicare, puts a board of bureaucrats between seniors and their health care and taxes medical devices which will increase costs. Businesses large and small in my district are still very concerned about the effects the law will have on their ability to provide insurance to their employees, expand their operations, and even stay in business. Three years later it still needs to be repealed and replaced with patient-centered reforms that will actually address the skyrocketing costs of health care and expand access to care.”
Rep. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA-06) “Since 1981, I have practiced medicine, treating uninsured patients in public hospitals. I have seen politicians over promise and underfund health care programs while hustling taxpayers by promising “free money” and appealing to their human kindness. But too often politicians don’t reveal the full cost or effects of their policies. After three years of learning what’s in Obamacare, we know this is exactly what Obamacare did. American families are paying $3,000 more in premiums than before Obamacare and the costs just keep piling up. Businesses cannot afford to hire new employees or shifting people to part-time to avoid expensive regulations. Three years later, Obamacare continues to be an anchor on our economy and job creation.” Rep. Bill Cassidy M.D.
Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) “On the third anniversary of Obamacare passing the House of Representatives, we have to continue fighting back against this disastrous law that will make it more difficult for the American people to have access to quality and affordable healthcare. The more we are finding out about how this law will affect young people and job creators, the more we are realizing that it should never have passed. Obamacare is destroying jobs and will continue to destroy jobs as it becomes fully implemented. Job creators are being forced to let workers go or cut back their hours because they cannot afford the higher costs, looming taxes, and heavy-handed mandates. Young people are finding that they are not able to afford the skyrocketing cost of insurance. This law must be replaced with patient centered healthcare solutions that do not hurt job creators or ruin the healthcare Americans already have.”
Rep. Diane Black, (TN-06) “While serving in the Tennessee legislature, I saw firsthand how Tenncare, the pilot program for universal care, wreaked havoc on our state budget and eroded patient care. Thankfully, Tenncare was dramatically rolled back just in time, before it nearly bankrupted our state. Obamacare, like Tenncare, will not be able to withstand its own weight of costly subsidies, onerous regulations, and restrictive mandates. In just three years, rising insurance premiums, a jobless recovery, increasing cost projections and countless other broken promises reaffirm why Obamacare must be dismantled before any further damage is done to our economy and our health care system. Market-based, patient-centered health care reforms should be a top priority, but we will never successfully bring down the cost of health care or balance the budget, if we do not roll back this self-defeating law,”
The House GOP Doctors Caucus is comprised of 19 medical providers who utilize their medical expertise to develop patient-centered health care reforms focused on quality, access, affordability, portability, and choice.
Contact: Jen Talaber, 202.225.2931 or Tiffany McGuffee, 202.225.6356
