Gus Bilirakis Warns of 'Illegal Bailouts' in Obamacare

During a U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committees health subcommittee meeting on Monday, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., said President Barack Obamas health-care law contained illegal bailouts to insurance companies and reiterated his opposition to it.

The nature and legality of payments under the risk corridor program are troubling, Bilirakis said. The administration plans to put taxpayers on the hook for bailouts to insurance companies. This is outrageous and completely unacceptable. The presidents health-care law includes government mandates, taxes, and cuts to Medicare, and now, illegal bailouts to insurance companies.

Beyond the issue of taxpayer bailouts, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has said the administration cannot make payments through this program without additional legislative authority, and yet they plan to do so, Bilirakis added. The risk corridor program is marred by serious legal and practical issues just like the entirety of the presidents health-care law.