Republicans to Obama: Delay individual mandate
(CNN) - Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, called on the president Saturday to delay the individual mandate in the health care law that requires Americans to obtain insurance or face a penalty.
The GOP-controlled House passed a bill this summer urging the administration to do so, but the bill has no future in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
The administration already announced it would delay a provision requiring businesses with more than 50 employees to provide insurance.
"It’s time for your Senate to pass – and for you to sign – the House’s bipartisan delay of the individual mandate," the congresswoman said in the GOP weekly address. "Let’s delay this health care law not just for some, but for all Americans."
Read a full transcript of her remarks below.
It’s time for your Senate to pass – and for you to sign – the House’s bipartisan delay of the individual mandate.
Hi I'm Shelley Moore Capito, and I represent West Virginia’s Second Congressional District.
Last month, members of both parties came together in the House to pass legislation delaying the individual mandate in the president’s health care law.
Because you and your family deserve the same relief the president gave to big businesses by delaying the employer mandate – it’s only fair.
Actually, it’s more than fair when you look at how this law is already raising costs, hurting jobs, and reducing access to the plans and the doctors you like.
Recent developments have proven the wisdom – and the urgency – of this bipartisan vote.
More companies have said that because of this law, they’ll have to shift full-time workers to part-time and lay off others altogether.
More states have detailed the rate shock consumers will soon experience.
And just days ago, it came to light that the president gave big businesses another pass – this time at the behest of insurance companies that say they need more time to comply. Meanwhile, yes, you and your family are expected to adhere to all the prescribed mandates, as scheduled.
Where’s the fairness in that?
The president claims this law is “working the way it’s supposed to,” but clearly it’s not. Not when the administration is missing deadlines, issuing waivers, and granting delays hand over fist. Things have become so bad that the administration wants to rely on the ‘honor system’ to verify who is eligible for subsidies. Senator Max Baucus was right about this law he helped write: it’s a ‘train wreck.’
The need for the bipartisan, House-passed delay of the individual mandate couldn’t be plainer. Yet, even though the president has already signed seven bills that repeal or defund parts of this law, he has threatened to veto this one.
Mr. President, in light of this latest unfair delay, we ask you to reconsider. It’s time for your Senate to pass – and for you to sign – the House’s bipartisan delay of the individual mandate. Let’s delay this health care law not just for some, but for all Americans. That would only be fair. That would be government working the way it’s supposed to.
For now, Republicans will continue to work to protect all Americans from the president’s health care law so we can focus on patient-centered reforms that actually lower costs and help jobs.
Thank you for listening, and enjoy your weekend.
50% cut in premiums in NY. Drastic reductions in CA. Reduced rates in OR. In states where the Gov wants it to work it will. In states where TEA/GOP Gov wants it to fail it will. One undeniable fact, insurance rates have increased by the lowest amount in 20 yrs the last 2 years. Lies about gov takeover, death panels are lies created by the propagandist who made up job creators. TEA/GOP are in the pockets of med insurance/pharma corps. They have no interest in average Americans at all. Flush the TEA pot.
Oh but of course, let's all continue to pay for those that won't take responsibility as they go to emergency rooms with a hang nail and then refuse to pay. HEY...GOP/Tea Trolls.....DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OTHER THAN 'NO"? The entire party of hateful dolts are a complete waste of our tax dollars.
Wait....isn't the individual mandate a GOP/Conservative idea, by the Heritage group? Yes, I believe it is. Hold on, what about "Romney Care" how is that being received in Mass.? You say its got about 92% approval amoung the citizenry(?) Nothing says ReDumblican like the fact the red states return less per tax dollar than the blue states....and the hateful GOP/Tea Trolls just lie about it. Talk about losers.
What part of YOU LOST THE ELECTION IN 2012 do these clowns not understand??? the American people re-elected Obama in part because he passed the Affordable Care Act. where do they get off trying to dictate to him what he should do? Obamacare is good for the people so of course, the rethugs hate it. stop trying to undo what's done and start working on fixing the mess you made! vote on some JOBS BILLS for a change!
Misleading, misinformation is out of control in this country. The idiots believe it and repeat it. If only we could split this country in half and let the ignorant do themselves in, so we won't go down with them. It' all such a shame!
Why is it that those who did not fully read the bill, but passed it, are able keep their Cadillac Health care, while American taxpayers cannot afford their health care, do to increase in premiums? There is definitely a problem hers. Various companies and organizations opt out or got waveirs, with the help of the Obama administration, but the REAL American taxpayer (middle class) do not get breaks.
What's even more shameful about the GOP, is that they have a rep from West Virginia out here lying today, when her state might benefit more than any other state in the union from the ACA. Think about all the coal miners and all their respiratory issues. Why would they not want the ACA? Do they really want to live up to the stereotypes about WV and show how completely stupid they are by rejecting the ACA?
GOP....undermine Obamacare with Zero alternative...Even Newt has called them on it.
Republicans in Congress keep saying we don't want Obama Care. Guess what, I do, and I count. So many other people across this great nation want the Health Care, too. They can't afford insurance as it is now. They need relief that Obama Care will be able to give them in 2014'. I am looking forward to when the whole Health care law goes into effect.
Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) asked the Congressional Research Service, the policy research arm of the US Congress, whether Obamacare will be affected by a government shutdown. The answer: a shutdown will have no effect on Obamacare. Much of Obamacare is mandatory spending, meaning it is mandated by law, and it won't be affected even if Republicans were to shut down the rest of the government.
A government shutdown has as much effect on Obamacare as the 40 attempts by the House Republicans to repeal Obamacare: nothing.
Thanks to health care I manage to get by. All you repo trolls that don't like it not my problem. We won the election in part because of health care. What don't you understand>>> already lower cost in some states and a big slow down in insurance costs across the boards. Stop lying to the American people go talk to the ones who live in Mittens state of Mass. They love it .
Find the facts before voting Republican! The GOP is misleading you daily!
I know, lets put the whole thing on hold and go straight to single payer. Of course, we may have to cancel a few wars we have in the works to pay for something that actually helps people--but what the heck!
@Just a thought: "Oh but of course, let's all continue to pay for those that won't take responsibility as they go to emergency rooms with a hang nail and then refuse to pay."
While I agree that under the old system those of us with insurance paid for the visits to the ER by the under-insured or uninsured, ERs don't treat hang nails. Those folks ended up in the ER because they got sick, didn't have a primary care doc to check them out and write a prescription, then things turned much worse and became life-threatening.
For a group that thumps its chest and proclaims how righteous and "Christian" they are, the GOP sure are a hateful bunch that puts money ahead of people EVERY TIME.
The individual mandate was originally conceived and proposed by the Heritage Foundation in 1993 in response to the Clinton Administration's efforts to overhaul health care (introduced in the Senate by then-Senator John Chaffee with 20 Republican co-sponsors). The Heritage Foundation idea was to subsidize (using federal dollars) and facilitate the purchase of private health plans, while using the individual mandate to maximize participation.
At the time, Gingrich said the mandate was needed so folks would have "skin in the game."
Don't believe me? Read this from the Washington Post: "The individual insurance mandate, which requires virtually all Americans to obtain health coverage or pay a fine, was the brainchild of conservative economists and embraced by some of the nation’s most prominent Republicans for nearly two decades."
From the Heritage Foundation's website about Romney and Romneycare (from the article "Mitt's Fit" by Edmund Haislmaier, January 28, 2006):
"The Romney approach is ... a state health-insurance exchange ... exactly what stock exchanges do for the buying and selling of securities. Like a stock or commodity exchange, Romney's health-insurance exchange would be a clearinghouse but never a product regulator."
So you have to ask: Why all the push back from the GOP regarding Obamacare?
Two reasons: 1) The GOP doesn't want President Obama to succeed at anything, regardless of the benefit to the American people.
2) The GOP believes in a dog-eat-dog world where only the wealthy enjoy any of the benefits of civil society.
The GOP will never admit this; instead, they'll thump their chests and righteously proclaim they are "Christian" and "patriots" and "real Americans" – when their words and actions prove the exact opposite.
What is it with these TPer's? 40 votes to repeal, 3 straight years of demagougery and now, "let's shut down gubmit so we can defund the law" What is most distressing is that the red states that elected these idiots are the ones that would benefit most from the law ...for W. Virginia, black-lung is a very debilitating disease and here their representative is advocating those miners not get that type of healthcare......Voting against your best interest comes to mind for these folks.
@jpmich,
Get off the faux news a fools fruitloops...geesh. You ever heard of anyone that doesn't actually need healthcare to work? Why should people use the emergency rooms as a primary care physician for something like the flu? Don't you know that's very expensive, clogs up the system for people with real emergencies and we the people paying our premiums are footing the bills for it? ...stupid is as stupid does and we've given up on you folks, just hoping you'll readjust your tin foil hats and quietly leave the important business to people that can think.
how come politicans -pay ,health care ,pensions,past and present are not effected buy the cut backs in government spending
MN's exchange start Oct.1 I can't wait! My husband and I are self employed and our health care is $800 a month! We will see that drop to $400 with the same coverage. Stop drinking the koolaid, repubs. You screamed about Medicare when it was rolled out!
The republicans are trying to put off the inevitable that once the ACA is fully inacted people will wonder what took so long being something this countrys populus has wanted for decades in a national health care insurance...Remember posters republicans were against Roosevelt when he inacted SocialSecurity and said it wouldn't work back in the "30s and now every senior needs it just to get by..Remember it was LBJ that helped inact Medicare and how republicans complained saying it was a government handout,wellfare and how it again would never last and how decades later over 98% of seniors,disabled depend on it as a sole source of medical insurance and how its sucess has again triggered republicans hate for anything that helps America and its citizens in any way..Please chime in republicans and let US know what republicans created,inacted that have helped America and its citizens and don't take all day thinking about it either!!
Republicans, are by the corporation and for the corporation. They know nothing else.
The GOP, what a bunch of losers, we don't need protection from the healthcare law, we need protection from the GOP and their lies and bs propaganda, like we need protection from a healthcare law GOP morons!!!!
Ok so about ten people still want Obama care lol
Republicans are SUCH FOOLS- the individual mandate is the Republican contribution to the ACA- at their demand. It was in their 1990s vintage healthcare overhaul, and it is in Romney care- AND it works.
Republicans still clueless and anti-American.
I know people in west. Virginia and I'm suprised they would be suckers in by the GOP bs and propaganda , they are the ones would need obamacare the most. Hi Sharon from king wood wv.