By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
In a written statement Congressman Mike Rogers (R) from Anniston says “I strongly supported H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, which would repeal the healthcare law.”
Congressman Rogers said that in a Rasmussen survey on March 19th 56% of the American people said that they support repealing the Patient Affordability and Protection Act, better known as Obamacare.
Rep. Rogers said that the American people oppose Obamacare for good reasons. Congressman Rogers said that according to the CBO President Obama’s signature healthcare law will result in an estimated four million Americans losing their employer provided healthcare coverage.
Rep. Rogers said, “I simply don’t believe the healthcare law provides that piece of mind when it comes to healthcare for folks of any age in our country.”
Rep. Rogers said that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the healthcare law will cost $1.76 trillion over the next ten years….”almost double what the President originally said it would.” “It certainly doesn’t appear to have helped lower the overall cost of our healthcare system, as the legislation was intended to do.”
Rep. Rogers said that one provision of Obama’s healthcare law “creates a panel of what I consider to be 15 unelected Washington bureaucrats to ration Medicare benefits as they see fit to our seniors.” Rep Rogers said that he voted last week to repeal the provision that created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
Rep. Rogers said that, “Seniors need to be more in control of their Medicare coverage and benefits, not less,” and vowed to continue to advocate for repealing the IPAB board which is composed of unelected Washington bureaucrats.
Rep. Rogers said that some parts of President Obama’s healthcare law like the CLASS Act were so outlandish that they have already been shelved by President Obama’s own Administration..
Congressman Rogers said, “Folks across East Alabama remain deeply concerned about its impact on our economy and want the law repealed.” “Full repeal of the law will be difficult.” Rep. Rogers said that despite the difficulty he still supports and voted for the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act which would repeal the Patient Affordability and Protection Act (Obamacare).
Rep Rogers said that other portions of Obamacare most importantly the individual mandate requiring that all Americans purchase health insurance are being reviewed by the Supreme Court for possibly violating the United States Constitution.
Rep. Rogers said, “I will continue to work to repeal this bill in full and in parts because it is bad economic medicine for America.”
Former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin created some controversy during the healthcare debate when she called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) “death panels.” The administration vigorously denied Gov. Palin’s accusation at the time. Critics of IPAB say that the purpose of the board is to save the government money by denying care to seniors.
Columnist George Will describes IPAB as, “an executive agency, its members appointed by the president, exercising legislative powers over which neither Congress nor the judiciary can exercise proper control.” It takes a 2/3s vote of both Houses of Congress to override any decision by IPAB. The 15 members of IPAB are appointed exclusively by the President.
The U.S. House of Representative passed H.R. 452, the “Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011” repealing IPAB by a margin of 223 to 181 on March 22. Rep. Rogers and all the Alabama House Republicans voted for the bill to repeal the Obamacare “death panels” provision. Most political pundits believe it is unlikely that Sen. Harry Reid and the Democratic Party leadership will allow the U.S. Senate to get to vote on repealing IPAB.
Representative Mike Rogers represents Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District.
