U.S. Senator John Barrasso Weekly Republican Address: Obamacare Sticker Shock

‘The President had grand intentions when he set out to reform health care in this country – but he made things worse. The health care law has proven to be unpopular, unworkable, and unaffordable. As a result, people are confused, disappointed, and angry.’WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming says that many families are going to have “sticker shock” when they see what they’ll have to pay for health insurance under government insurance exchanges that go into effect in less than a month as part of Obamacare. In the Weekly Republican Address, Sen. Barrasso, a practicing physician for 25 years before coming to Congress, notes that the President refuses to acknowledge that Obamacare “fails to solve the number one concern of Americans when it comes to health care – which is cost.” The American people have a choice, says Sen. Barrasso – embrace Obamacare for four more years, or repeal the law and move quickly to help people get the care they need, from a doctor they choose, at lower cost. “That’s what Republicans are fighting for,” he says. “It’s time for Democrats to join us.”
Transcript:
“Hi. I’m Dr. John Barrasso, United States Senator for Wyoming.

“As a doctor who took care of patients for 25 years, I saw the problems with America’s health care system every day.

“There’s no question we needed real reform – reform so that people could get the care they needed, at lower cost.

“Americans now know that’s not what President Obama’s health care law delivered.

“What we got is higher taxes and bigger government, without the lower costs or quality care.

“The so-called Affordable Care Act is hurting middle class families – their wages, their jobs, and their health care.

“On October first -- less than a month from today -- America will hit the deadline on one of the most critical and controversial parts of the Obama health care law.

“That’s when the government insurance exchanges go into effect.

“Whether the exchanges are ready or not, millions of families will have to start arranging to buy their Washington-mandated health insurance.

“Many families are going to have real sticker shock when they see their new insurance rates – even families who get government subsidies.

“President Obama promised that his health care plan would reduce annual insurance premiums by $2,500 a family by the end of his first term.

“That has not happened.

“According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, the average family premium for people getting insurance at work is nearly $3,000 higher than it was when the President took office.

“And because of the many new government regulations in the law, many part-time workers are having their hours cut back, and their pay reduced.

“In my home state of Wyoming, several county school districts are reportedly looking at actually cutting back the hours of hundreds of part-time workers because of the extra cost of paying for health insurance.

“This includes substitute teachers, bus drivers, coaches, cafeteria workers and custodians.

“In Virginia, thousands of state employees have had their workweeks capped at 29 hours because of how the law was written.

“Even some of President Obama’s biggest supporters have been warning about the damage that his health care law is doing to hardworking American taxpayers.

“The leaders of the Teamsters and other major labor unions have said that the health care law will -- quote – ‘destroy the foundation of the 40-hour workweek that is the backbone of the American middle class.’

“And even though the President promised that if you liked what you had, you could keep it, for many families that’s just not true.

“Workers are losing coverage for their spouses, while paying higher premiums and deductibles.

“Well, that means even more money out of pocket.

“Despite the higher cost to consumers and to workers, many people will still not get the quality health care the President promised them.

“That’s because all of his talk about coverage doesn’t mean that people will actually get better care.

“America is facing a looming shortage of doctors, nurses, and physicians’ assistants.

“The health care law provides for thousands of new IRS personnel to enforce the law, but it fails to deal in any meaningful way with the shortage of people to take care of you.

“The President had grand intentions when he set out to reform health care in this country -- but he made things worse.

“The health care law has proven to be unpopular, unworkable, and unaffordable.

“As a result, people are confused, disappointed, and angry.

“The law is increasing costs and killing jobs and it’s no surprise that employers wanted relief.

“But shouldn’t families get the same relief?

“Families will now have to prove to the IRS that they have Washington-approved and government-mandated insurance.

“It seems the only folks who still support the law, are the ones that don’t have to live under its mandates, or made special Washington deals to avoid it.

“The American people need health care reform, but it must be the right kind of reform.

“Reform that lowers patient costs, improves health, and protects the vulnerable.

“This means access to more affordable care, and protecting quality care for older Americans.

“And let me tell you – my wife is a breast cancer survivor, so I know how important it is to make sure that we help those with pre-existing conditions.

“Republicans have voted to repeal the health care law and to start over – start over with ways to truly help people afford the care that they need.

“The President refuses to acknowledge that his law fails to solve the number one concern of Americans when it comes to health care – which is cost.

“Instead, the White House and its outside political arm have promised to spend millions of dollars in advertising to promote the law.

“They’re working with celebrities and sports teams, to try to convince healthy young people to buy expensive insurance, so other people can pay less.

“Even former President Bill Clinton was deployed by the White House this week in an attempt to explain away the pain middle class families are feeling.

“Americans want real solutions to bring down the cost of health care — not more press releases and propaganda.

“We know what the law does -- and in just a few weeks, we know it’s going to start hitting middle class Americans even harder.

“The American people have a choice.

“We can embrace the status quo of Obamacare for four more years.

“Or we can repeal the law, and quickly move to help people get the care they need, from a doctor they choose, at lower cost.

“That’s what Republicans are fighting for.

“It’s time for Democrats to join us.

“Thanks for listening.”

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