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Sixth Anniversary of Obamacare Nothing to Celebrate

March 23, 2016 - 12:30pm

The sixth anniversary of Obamacare leaves nothing to celebrate; it was bad medicine when signed into law on March 23, 2010 and remains bad medicine today. President Obama promised affordability and accessibility.  Unfortunately, that result was not delivered to the American people, their health care, their bank accounts, and our nation’s economy.  

Premiums are higher today than ever before and health care costs are increasing, not decreasing. Americans aren’t able to keep the plans they have or choose the doctor they wish, and the law’s stifling regulations make it more difficult than ever for small businesses to grow and create jobs. From day one, I have listened to the dissatisfaction from residents in Florida’s Fourth Congressional District and citizens across the country, and have taken action. 

On November 7, 2009, I voted against the Democrats’ faulty health-care policy and instead supported the Republican substitute. It provided more access to health care by lowering costs, ending junk lawsuits, and preserving the doctor-patient relationship – all without raising taxes. Since then, I have voted more than 60 times to repeal, replace, and dismantle Obamacare. We need patient-centered health care that puts Americans in charge of the decision-making, not the federal government, and we need policies that will help grow the economy and create jobs without raising taxes or the deficit. 

In late 2015, Republicans in the House and Senate were able to get a historic Obamacare repeal bill to the president’s desk by using a process called reconciliation. This marked the first time both chambers of Congress had spoken and disapproved of Obamacare. After six years, the ill-conceived law has proven flawed from inception, and the American people have spoken by urging their elected officials to do something about it. 

Congress listened and moved its legislative solution forward. But, did our president listen to the American public and join us? Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, no. He vetoed the measure.

The Democrats in Congress also turned a deaf ear to the American public, and without them the House wasn’t able to reach the two-thirds majority vote required to override the president’s veto. When it comes to health care, I stand on the side of quality versus mediocrity, affordability versus unsustainable debt, and freedom for patients to choose their doctors versus bureaucratic control. That’s the right medicine. Then and only then can we celebrate.  

First elected to Congress in 2000, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

Comments

As usual, the Republicans make up their own alternative reality by twisting the facts or more likely, as in this case, making up their own fictional stories for strictly political reasons. No wonder the Reoublican party is crumbling under their feet. It will be great to see them go!

Well, WHAT EXACTLY have you ALREADY done about "Obamacare" Ander Crenshaw ?!?.. NOT A DAMN THING obviously; EIGHT terms in office (almost ten years now) and you're STILL a "do-nothing" "investment banker" and "lawyer" (must not have been too successful at that either ! You NEED a REAL job Ander; maybe the Jacksonville voters should help you out... (Just let us know which way you came in 10 years ago). (( OK, now you managed to get some "media ink" for your name in the upcoming election...Hope your happy about it. But, rest assured, WE ALREADY KNOW YOUR NAME ! ))

For most people what you are saying is just not true. What Republican alternative are you speaking of? As an independent, this law has been more of a help to me than harm. I'm sure that's not true for everyone, but all I've heard you say is repeal. Repeal and replace with what? That is the answer that most Americans want to hear from you instead of rhetoric. Also, Economics 101. Deregulation and Policies do not create jobs, Demand creates jobs. The only thing that creates that demand is healthy consumers, that means a strong, viable middle class who is working, earning good wages and spending. If you do not do things to support and enhance that group, that does the majority of the spending and purchasing, you will not stimulate growth. No amount of business tax breaks, less taxes on wealthy, deregulation or anything else will change that. This is why trickle down economics was such a failure. This is why nothing has changed in 50 years, because you politicians have not learned the laws of supply and demand. Wake up, or hopefully be voted out...

It's that kind of lying that is why Trump is taking over the party. And the 20 million now with healthcare or better healthcare says otherwise.-------------------------------------------------------------- The main reason healthcare is going up is the repub made Medicare partD prescription drug company corporate welfare act where the US can't bargain on drug prices and big pharma has jacked up rates, a times 1,000%!! So Ander get off your ass and do something to make healthcare affordable as so far you have sucked.

Respectfully, Ander Crenshaw is part of the limited vision, obstructionist problem in Congress. The time and effort his "60 votes to repeal" took would have been better spent working on the multitude of anti-trust issues associated with monopoly/oligopoly/price fixing activities that consume the private medical insurance market. Medicare for all..

How about celebrating the 14 million people who've been able to get health insurance, or the under 25's who can stay on their parents insurance, or the people with pre-existing conditions who now have coverage. What's not worth celebrating is the Republican alternative, which we've been waiting for the past few years.

"Billb", You are SO misinformed that it's not even worthwhile responding to your "indoctrinated blind Democrat" self. signed// "An old fashioned, common sense Democrat"

Gee, perhaps it depends on whether you're a millionaire Congressman (with free health care, at least in the past) . . . . . . . or a Joe lunchbox without easy access to health care . . . . . you complain that "health care costs are increasing" . . . . well, when Congress refuses to outlaw outrageous predatory medicine cost increases like we've seen recently (i.e. GOP: let the market place decide the price of life needed medicines) and state GOP legislatures continue to pass pro-life legislation requiring costly, un-necessary medical procedures for women, no wonder the costs are increasing . . . . . . . GOP hypocritical whining and crocodile tears . . . . . . . like their Presidential candidates . . . . . . . . absolutely. . . . PATHETIC . . . .

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