(CNN) - Sen John Barrasso called for repeal of President Barack Obama's health reform law, saying it has failed to solve major issues with the U.S. health system.
"It is a law that is bad for patients, it is bad for the nurses and the doctors who care for those patients, and it's terrible for tax payers," he said in the GOP weekly address.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law Thursday, including the mandate that many individuals obtain or retain coverage, or otherwise pay a fine.
Barrasso, a doctor and a Republican from Wyoming, argued that the law further ailed the country's struggling health care system and weak economy.
"In the middle of a tough economy, President Obama passed a health care law that has made our economy even worse," he said. "With unemployment over 8 % for over 40 straight months, we cannot afford for this tax to stay in place any longer."
The high court ruled that the fine is a tax and Republicans have since criticized the law for being a tax increase on struggling, middle-class families. Democrats have instead called it a penalty.
"The president's health care law hires more IRS agents to investigate you and to make sure you buy insurance," Barrasso said, "but it fails to deal with the shortage of nurses and doctors to actually take care of you."
Other negative impacts to the health care system include Medicare reductions and increases to premiums, he said.
Barrasso said Republicans will "replace this law with real reforms that actually lower costs and improve access to care."
He said his party would craft the bill through a more open process - a swipe against Obama's pledges of transparency. The solution favored by Republicans would include tort reform, allowing insurance to be purchased across state lines, allowing small businesses to pool for better rates and "allowing premium breaks to encourage healthy behavior."
"Now, we have another chance to reform our health care system and in a way that does not result in higher costs, fewer choices and less personal control," he said.
Barrasso's address notably makes no mention of the word "Obamacare," which Republicans have long used as a criticism of the law. Nor does he mention the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee, who advocated for a state health care law when governor of Massachusetts that has been criticized by some Republicans and compared to Obama's plan.
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The republicans hate president Obama so much they refuse to see how much pain and suffering this
new health care law will prevent, The law will be a life saver for millions of uninsuired citizens who are
not blessed with a employer subsidized policy. The ( God is good) hypocrites live by the creed, my family
and I are ok so to hell with yours.
Call it a mandate, a tax, or a penalty, it finally forces people who can afford to acquire health insurance to be responsible and man-up instead of sticking the rest of us with the real increases in taxes necessary to pay for those folks to visit the emergency room.
Barrasso tax payers pay for your health care and you want us to have none . Pay for your own. The gopt sucks.
acually, we should repeal their health and pension benifits. why should the republican bafoon party have any benifits that we dont have , and i like obamacare, thanks president obama and c j roberts..vote all dem. in nov.
Perhaps CNN should mention that the senator cites no sources substantiating his negative claims. CBO says the law will reduce the deficit. That's a credible source. There are many other positive features of the law, all verified by independent sources. CNN has a responsibility to distinguish between actual news and unsubstantiated statements made for political purposes.
Barrasso & his GOP legislators want to repeal:
• Pre-existing condition coverage for children
• Closing doughnut holes in seniors' Medicare
• Parents' insurance for college students until 26
• Removing lifetime caps to avoid bankruptcy, etc
No thank you.
Justice Roberts made the right decision here on ACA for Americans.
I meant charging $90, not charing. Got two scull fractures a number of months ago after being hit by a 79 year old driver. No operations were performed, just scans and rehab. Guess how many tens of thousands that cost? So I proof read and do it again and again, and still miss a word. Hope I didn't miss anything on this one.
America is fast becoming a third world country thanks to the gopt nra norquist.
It is remarkable how we intrust the wealthiest people in our society to speak down to us. The members of the Senate and the House have substantial healthcare programs, yet care little about the rest of us apart from how it may hinder the funnel from "K" street. Of all the commodities in our nation, power and greed are among the most profitable. His suit costs more than he would contribute to the poor. The hypocrite personality of wealthy conservatives makes me believe they are fundamentally indifferent to humanity's needs.
How can it have "failed to solve major issues" when the major portions of it don't take effect until 2014?
If you want to repeal something, repeal the requirement for Auto Insurance and Drivers Licenses. My family has been involved with those who don't feel they have to abide by the LAW. The Police and the Courts don't seem to care either.
The AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT, (affectionally referred to as Obamacare by misinformed electorate and Republicans) does a service to those who can't afford insurance, unlike Congress.
Why doesn't he focus on something important, like jobs?
Maybe another Stimulus, like the one that turned the economy around after Obama was first elected. Remember when we were LOOSING over 800,000 jobs a month?? It was the month before Obama took office.
And you have the "barraso" to mouth these non-truths. Have you checked out Massachusetts, recently or, even better, Canada's economy? And is repealing the AFFORDABLE CARE Act suddenly going to improve your employment? And did the REPUBS do any good through all those years in power? Did you check the Bush deficits? You are not a good economist or truth teller, DOCTOR. Are you good at medicine?
Here we go with the outright lies. so predictable and sad
How can it have "failed to solve" anything since its major provisions on coverage do not go into effect until 2014? What a piece of sophistry! And what would the GOP propose to solve the admitted health care crisis in this richest nation in the world? I can't hear them...
Well the president is really getting into the spirit to make sure everyone (but him) pays these new taxes. Now Obama wants our brave men and women in the military to pay more for their health care. Here is a group of people who really deserve free health care but not Obama! Hey there son! I know you just had your foot blown off by that IED but in order to control health care costs in the military I'm have to charge you a $50 co-pay on fixing your foot. What a guy! Repeal this law and this president!
That's easy for you to say – you already have and enjoy the senate government health care plan!
Repeal the GOP!
With an additional 30 million people receiving benefits, the middle class paying jobs in the healthcare industry will also increase, thus less unemployment, increased tax revenue, increased consumer spending and this equals a stronger overall economy. One that provides a tangible service to all citizens, not an arbitrary service that only the wealthy can access.
when congress gives up their government run healthcare...then let's talk...until then.... shhhhhhhhhhh!
Watch over the next few months as the healthcare law becomes more popular that the GOP will cease using the term "Obamacare". They spent years associating it with his name (remember Jim DeMint's Waterloo comment? Heard anything from Jim DeMint lately?) and as it becomes more popular they will regret it. They are pathological in their efforts to make sure that nothing good is associated with President Obama, even going so far as to credit GWB and torture with getting Osama Bin Laden when that is completely untrue.
The GOP sealed their fate and Obama will deservedly get 4 for years.
Barrasso is being a "pajasso"(clown)! He's funny! 1st, his GOT-party just tried that "repeal" thing & the Supremes say it's Const.itutional! 2nd, more Americans are becoming aware of the content of the ACA & realize the GOTP is at it again, obstructing, fillibustering (to us), & lying! Healthcare can & should be affordable to us all & now it is, thanks, Mr President! Healthy people make a productive nation!! Forward–Obama 2012!
I'm tired of hearing how this gives fire for the tea party. Well you know what gives those backing up the President? These whackos, the ones that aren't for the people who been putting the president down with his birth records, the ones that say they will do whatever it takes to get the president out of office, those flip flop on every issue because they want the vote, stuff like this gives us fire, and come November we will see another 4 years with Obama and hopefully will clean out the house and senate from these tea party individuals. How can you blame the president on anything when they are the speedbump stopping us from getting to where we need to go, you can yell at someone for lighting matches when you got a torch in your hand.....
Argues???!!!??? The GOP has done nothing but argue against this, against that – Party of "NO"! The GOP has not been able or willing to take up the problem in earnest, has not taken any chance over decades to address this problem, has never called on insurance companies to change their practices, has never commented on the rising cost of health care – not to mention that they have never done anything useful about it, was never concerned about choices or personal control because only the health care industry / insurance had any control and most certainly has never cared about people that suffer and die in the current system.
So they should be ashamed to even comment after “the others” have finally come up with good solutions! They can be improved – but for the moment they are really fantastic for soooo many people! The GOP only has one response: lie the blue out of the sky! And there are still people that do not make the effort to inform themselves on a matter so very important for them, their family, their friends and community? They should be just as ashamed as the GOP!!!!!
During the interview Romney held up his health care law as a model that "could inform Washington on ways to improve health care for all Americans."