The House Health and Human Services Committee on Monday forwarded the Health Care Freedom Act, a measure introduced by Republican leaders in the Legislature allowing Floridians to opt out of the federal health-care law backed by President Barack Obama, on a party lines vote.
The Health Care Freedom Act, which has been sailing through the Senate, would send a proposed constitutional amendment to Florida voters, allowing them to opt out of the individual mandate imposed by the federal law. If 60 percent of the voters approve, the act would become law.
During the committee meeting, Republicans insisted the main issue is freedom.
We get to make choices over our own health care, said Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, the sponsor of the measure in the House. We must give the voters a choice to decide.
Plakon insisted that many Floridians did not want the health care mandated by the federal government and should not be required to pay for it. He quoted Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the founders who signed the Declaration of Independence, who warned about the necessity of medical freedom.
Democrats on the committee essentially held their fire, though Rep. Elaine Schwartz, D-Hollywood, argued that the proposed amendment was the latest attempt from the Republican leadership to get around the federal law. Republicans had proposed a similar constitutional amendment to be placed on the 2010 ballot, but the state Supreme Court removed it before the general election in November.
This is another statement about not allowing the Affordable Care Act to go into effect, said Schwartz, who insisted there are quite a few bills looking to do the same thing currently before the Legislature. Its a shotgun approach.
Plakon refused to talk about similar proposals in the Legislature, preferring to focus on the proposed constitutional amendment, saying the measure is about freedom.
This is only about one thing, insisted Plakon in his closing remarks. Should the government force us to buy something?
With 56 of the 120 members of the House listed as co-sponsors of the proposed amendment and with Republicans controlling 80 of the seats, the measure should be forwarded through the chamber. Before winning the backing of the committee Monday, the Health Care Freedom Act, which Plakon filed less than two weeks after the general election in November, was passed favorably by the State Affairs Committee and the Health and Human Services Quality Subcommittee earlier in the session.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
