Two Florida Republicans -- U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Trey Radel -- teamed up on Monday to introduce a bill delaying the individual mandate in President Barack Obamas federal health-care law until six months after the exchange website gets the approval of the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
It is unacceptable that Americans will soon be forced to pay a fine for not purchasing insurance when the very websites they are supposed to use for purchasing it have been rendered useless from numerous glitches and technical errors, said Rubio. Americans already have too many financial burdens for Washington to go adding another useless and unjust tax, especially when that tax punishes the American people for the governments own errors. I believe Obamacare must eventually be entirely repealed and replaced, but until that becomes possible we must continue to focus on protecting Americans from the laws ongoing problems.
The president has given big business and corporations an exemption from his signature law, it only seems fair to give you and your family a break from the fine as well, said Radel. The Rubio-Radel bill ensures the Obamacare fine will be delayed until the administration can show Healthcare.gov and all other sign-up options are fully functional.
The bill would ensure that the GAO study the website and report to Congress within 30 days on its functionality. If the GAO finds the site is not fully operational, it will continue to study the site and report to Congress every 60 days. Six months after the GAO finds the site functional, the individual mandate would return.
Rubio is turning to some of the leading Republicans in the Democratic-controlled Senate to help pass the measure with the likes of U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., co-sponsoring it. Conservative groups including Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks and the National Taxpayers Union have also endorsed the legislation.
While Radel should have no problem getting the bill passed in the Republican-controlled House, it is unlikely to pass the Democratic Senate. Nor does Obama appear likely to sign the bill if it passes both chambers.
In his weekly address on Saturday, Obama noted the website continues to have problems but also insisted it was the easiest way to buy insurance in this marketplace despite the technical issues.
As you may have heard, the site isnt working the way its supposed to yet, Obama said. Thats frustrating for all of us who have worked so hard to make sure everyone who needs it gets health care. And its especially frustrating for the Americans whove been trying to get covered. The site has been visited more than 20 million times so far. Nearly 700,000 people have applied for coverage already. That proves just how much demand there is for these new quality, affordable health care choices. And thats why, in the coming weeks, we are going to get it working as smoothly as its supposed to. Weve got people working overtime, 24/7, to boost capacity and address these problems, every single day.
But even as we improve the website, remember that the website isnt the only way to apply for coverage under these new plans, Obama insisted. Weve updated HealthCare.gov to offer more information about enrolling over the phone, by mail, or in person with a specially-trained navigator who can help answer your questions. Just call 1-800-318-2596 or visit LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov. Dont worry these plans will not sell out. Were only a few weeks into a six-month open enrollment period, and everyone who wants insurance through the marketplace will get it.
Obama also jabbed Republicans for opposing the health care law and bemoaning the functionality of the website.
Its ... interesting to see Republicans in Congress expressing so much concern that people are having trouble buying health insurance through the new website especially considering theyve spent the last few years so obsessed with denying those same people access to health insurance that they just shut down the government and threatened default over it, Obama said. As Ive said many times before, Im willing to work with anyone, on any idea, whos actually willing to make this law perform better. But its well past the time for folks to stop rooting for its failure. Because hard-working, middle-class families are rooting for its success.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
