Washington, DC – Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) today delivered a statement on the House floor in support of repealing the job-destroying health care bill. Below are excerpts, followed by the full statement.

The Fundamental Flaw With The Healthcare Bill
“The problem with this law – among its many faults – is it puts government at the center of health care decisions; not doctors and patients.  Instead of families deciding what coverage is best for them, this law has the Secretary of Health and Human Services making that choice.  Instead of families and employers deciding how much they can afford, the IRS is making that decision.  Instead of families and employers deciding if they need health insurance, the government is mandating they purchase it.  This is all about the government.”

Premiums Increase For Families
“According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Democrats’ health law will increase premiums for millions of families by up to $2,100 on average, by 2016.  This means that coverage will be $2,100 more expensive than it would have been if Congress had just left the current system alone and almost $3,200 more expensive than the Republican Alternative we offered last Congress.” 

If You Like What You Have, You CAN’T Keep It
“According to the Obama Administration’s own actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the massive Medicare cuts contained in the Democrats’ health law could threaten seniors’ access to care and cause providers to stop treating Medicare patients.”

Entitlement Expansion Is Not Health Care Reform
“Entitlement expansion is not health care reform, and giving new powers and regulations to departments like HHS and letting the IRS hire up to 16,500 new auditors, agents and other employees is not the same as empowering doctors and patients – and it isn’t the job creation America needs.”

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The Democrats’ health care law is fundamentally flawed and we will, having listened to the will of the American people, vote to repeal it today. 

The problem with this law – among its many faults – is it puts government at the center of health care decisions; not doctors and patients.  Instead of families deciding what coverage is best for them, this law has the Secretary of Health and Human Services making that choice.  Instead of families and employers deciding how much they can afford, the IRS is making that decision.  Instead of families and employers deciding if they need health insurance, the government is mandating they purchase it.  This is all about the government.  It is Washington knows best and it is wrong.

By virtually every measure this law is a failure:

• The health care law fails to control costs;
• It fails to let Americans keep the insurance they have and like;
• It fails to protect jobs, and in fact hurts job creation at a time when the unemployment rate has remained above 9 percent for 20 consecutive months;
• It fails to ensure seniors have access to their doctors and hospitals; and,
• It fails to prevent tax increases from hitting middle class families.

Let’s review the facts:

The health care law makes health insurance more expensive for millions of Americans.  Well, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Democrats’ health law will increase premiums for millions of families by up to $2,100 on average, by 2016 — $2,100 more expensive than it would have been if Congress had done nothing and almost $3,200 more expensive than the Republican Alternative we offered last Congress. 

The Democrats’ health care law forces millions of Americans out of the health plan they have and like.  The Obama Administration has predicted that as many as 7 out of 10 employers will have to change the coverage they offer to their employees because of the Democrats’ health care law. 

The health care law discourages employers from hiring new workers, increasing wages, or retaining existing employees.  There are over $500 billion in new job-destroying taxes — many of which will hit middle-class families.

With all these taxes and new regulations, it is no wonder that major employer groups such as National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as Business Roundtable & Business Council call the Democrats’ health care law “destructive” and “dangerous.”

The health care law jeopardizes seniors’ health care.  Again, according to the Obama Administration’s own actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the massive Medicare cuts contained in the Democrats’ health law could threaten seniors’ access to care and cause providers to stop treating Medicare patients.

Entitlement expansion is not health care reform, and giving new powers and regulations to departments like HHS and letting the IRS hire up to 16,500 new auditors, agents and other employees is not the same as empowering doctors and patients – and it isn’t the job creation America needs.

The American people know that like a tree that is rotten at the center, we must cut it down and put something new in its place.  That is what we are doing today – cutting the government out of the waiting room, out of the doctor’s office and out of your medicine cabinet.  Once we have done that, we will begin tomorrow, to implement step-by-step, common sense reforms that actually lower the cost of health care and actually respect the patient-doctor relationship. 

This House, this Majority…Republicans have heard the American people loud and clear, and we will not let government dictate your health care coverage.  We will repeal this law and we will continue our effort until Americans are again free to choose their health insurance plan, to choose their doctor and to choose what is best for them, their family, and their business.  This is a Congress dedicated to empowering the American people, not increasing the size, scope and cost of the federal government.

I urge my colleagues to vote with me, and repeal this job-destroying and cost increasing health care law.

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