issues

Health care is a complex and important issue facing our country. Folks across the First District are concerned about rising costs, accessibility and quality. Increased affordability and accessibility are two goals that I believe we should be working toward when considering legislative changes. I also believe that doctors and patients should be making health care decisions. I remain committed to improving the nation's health care system, reducing the number of uninsured individuals and families, and decreasing the overall costs of health care.

President Obama's Health Care Overhaul

I continue to oppose the president's health care overhaul, known as "Obamacare," and its harmful provisions. The goal of any health care reform must be to drive costs down so that quality health care coverage is affordable and accessible to every American, and this law failed to achieve those goals.

I have voted more than 40 times to either fully or partially repeal Obamacare (more information below). It is proving to be unworkable with several major provisions being delayed including:

• The Small Business Health Options Program health insurance exchange for businesses with fewer than 50 employees
• Select states have been granted waivers from Medical Loss Ratio requirements (MLR)
• Employer mandate and employer reporting requirements
• Limit on out-of-pocket costs for families and individuals, including deductibles and co-payments

Work in the 113^th Congress

Voted for H.R. 2667, the Authority For Mandate Delay Act and voted for H.R. 2668, the Fairness for American Families Act. H.R. 2667 would codify the Administration’s decision to delay for one year the employer mandate, while H.R. 2668 would provide the same relief to American families by delaying the individual mandate for one year as well. (Read more from July 17, 2013: Wittman Votes to Delay Burdensome Obamacare Provisions)

Voted for H.R. 45, a bill to repeal Obamacare. Without repeal, the law will have significant consequences on patients, the healthcare system, taxpayers, job holders, job creators, individuals, families, and the economy. ObamaCare is increasing costs, forcing employers to reduce hours, eliminate jobs or cut wages, and families and individuals are losing the health insurance they have and like.

Cosponsor of H.R. 2682, the - Defund Obamacare Act of 2013.

Cosponsor of H.R. 1416, the Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2013. This legislation directs the Department of Health and Human Services to exempt chemotherapy drugs, and other physician-administered drugs, from the two percent cuts due to sequestration. This legislation has no cost, as it merely directs HHS on how to implement sequestration, and does not change the spending level mandated in the Budget Control Act. News outlets have reported that Cancer clinics across the country have begun turning away Medicare patients, blaming the sequester budget cuts. 

Cosponsor of H.R. 351 - Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2013 – repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board under the ACA which is tasked with making Medicare payment cuts

Cosponsor of H.R. 647 the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2013 or the ABLE Act of 2013. This legislation establishes tax-exempt ABLE accounts to assist an individual with a disability in building an account to pay for qualified disability expenses.

Click here to read more about legislation that Rep. Wittman has sponsored and cosponsored.

First Congressional District Health Advisory Council