Arkansas Governor Beebe Continues Obamacare Push Despite Strong Opposition

Little Rock, Ark. – State lawmakers on the Arkansas Legislative Council will consider several grants to fund President Barack Obama’s health care law this week, including one grant totaling $7.6 million to fund planning for an Obamacare exchange. Republican Party of Arkansas Communications Director Katherine Vasilos released the following statement in response:

“Despite strong opposition, Governor Beebe’s Administration continues its push to implement President Barack Obama’s signature health care law in Arkansas. Clearly, Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford and Surgeon General Joe Thompson would rather continue wasting tax dollars than allow the U.S. Supreme Court time to rule on the law’s constitutionality.

“Arkansas Democrats need to stop ignoring Obamacare’s economically destructive regulations and mandates and start paying attention to the majority of Arkansans who want the law overturned. Will legislative Democrats continue ‘working hard’ to implement Obamacare and stand with Team Obama this week? Or will they join Republicans in fighting for hardworking Arkansans who oppose the law?

“From added costs on the state’s already exploding Medicaid budget to increased government spending, Obamacare is an undeniable failure and must be ended one way or another.”

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Obamacare Grants on Deck For Arkansas Legislative Council Meetings
Wednesday 4/4/12 (ALC-Review, 1:30 p.m., Room A MAC): See Item B5, Numbers 9 and 10
Thursday 4/5/12 (ALC-Peer, 1:30 p.m., Room A MAC): See Item G

Two-Thirds of Americans Say Supreme Court Should Throw Out Obamacare
“Two-thirds of Americans say the U.S. Supreme Court should throw out either the individual mandate  in the federal health care law or the law in its entirety,  signaling the depth of public disagreement with that  element of  the Affordable Care Act.” (Greg Holyk, “As Health Care Law’s Trial Approaches, Two-Thirds Say Ditch Individual Mandate,” ABC News, 3/19/12)

Majority of Arkansans Oppose Obamacare
64 percent of Arkansans oppose the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. ( Arkansas News Bureau/Stephens Media, 5/9/10)

Legislative Democrats Argue Constitutionality of Obamacare in Supreme Court Brief, are "Working Hard" to Implement in Arkansas
“Amici Curiae, a group of 518 State Legislators from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, believe that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“the Act”) is constitutional and are working hard in their States to implement the Act in a timely, efficient, and effective manner. They have a substantial interest in having this matter resolved expeditiously and in favor of the constitutionality of the Act.” (Source: Supreme Court Brief – US Department of Health Human Services v Florida)

Government Spending Skyrockets Under Obamacare
"The ACA's provisions related to insurance coverage are now projected to have a net cost of $1,252 billion over the 2012-2022 period (see Table 2, following the text); that amount represents a gross cost to the federal government of $1,762 billion, offset in part by $510 billion in receipts and other budgetary effects (primarily revenues from penalties and other sources)." (Updated Estimates For The Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office, 3/13/12)

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