The United States Supreme Court has upheld President Obama's Affordable Care Act (ACA). In its decision, the Court ruled that the controversial individual mandate is a tax increase on millions of American taxpayers.
To read the decision by the United States Supreme Court, click here.
Congressman Schock is a co-sponsor of H.R. 6079, the Repeal of ObamaCare Act. The House will vote on H.R. 6079 on Wednesday, July 11, 2012.
Congressman Schock speaking on the floor in support of H.R. 6079. |
Congressman Aaron Schock issued the following statement regarding the decision handed down by the Supreme Court:
“Today the Supreme Court has spoken, but so too have the American people who have made it clear they oppose ObamaCare by increasing numbers since the day it was signed into law.
“During consideration of ObamaCare, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said ‘we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it’. That shocked the American people, but it was true. Now, the more we learn about ObamaCare, the clearer it becomes that it is unable to live up to its billing. The inherent severe problems with ObamaCare include:
- Cost projections by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office have shown that the law has almost doubled in cost from almost $1 trillion to $1.8 trillion in the first ten years
- Cuts $500 billion from Medicare
- Will lower the quality of health care
- Will cause the denial of care for patients by unseen and unelected bureaucrats
- Will stifle health care innovation
- Will cause waiting periods for medical procedures
- Will cause many health care providers to leave the field
- Will diminish individual freedom
“The problem is that the bill was a legislative monstrosity from the beginning; Over 2,000 pages of complicated language that was rushed into Congressional passage before each provision could be thoroughly analyzed and all the consequences could be properly considered.
“The Court today did rule that forcing states to expand their Medicaid rules was unconstitutional. The Court ruled that the states ‘must have a genuine choice’ whether or not to implement this massive and costly expansion, rather than being subjected to what the Chief Justice called ‘economic dragooning that leaves the states with no real option but to acquiesce in the Medicaid expansion.’
“The Supreme Court validates that ObamaCare is a huge tax increase on middle-class families and small businesses at the exact time when the country is struggling to grow the economy and create jobs. This ruling confirms that President Obama broke his promise not to raise taxes on the middle class when he authored the health care law. That in itself could prevent millions of new people from being covered.
“The House will move forward with a vote to fully repeal ObamaCare on July 11, and I still firmly believe that the law should be replaced with commonsense reforms that have bipartisan support, and I am committed to continuing my efforts to fully repeal ObamaCare. By allowing Americans to buy health insurance across state lines, passing strong tort reform legislation, and by ensuring affordable health care is accessible for Americans with pre-existing conditions, we can fix our health care system and reduce overall health costs.
“While the Supreme Court weighed in today on ObamaCare, the American people will have one last chance to reverse course on this massively consequential legislation in November. Once it is repealed, we can start to improve health care delivery, access and costs in a prudent and cost effective manner that won’t increase government while diminishing individual freedom.”
May 18, 2012: Congressman Schock discusses the need to repeal the costly Medicaid Maintenance of Effort (MOE) mandate that was included in President Obama's Affordable Care Act. Click here to watch.
House Ways and Means Committee Documents
By the Numbers: A Look at the Democrats’ Health Care Law
The Prescription Pad
Democrats: Law is Unworkable Without the Mandate
Congressman Schock Background on Health Care
Since January 2011, the House has voted 30 times to repeal, replace, defund or dismantle all or parts of the health care law, including repealing the 1099 tax reporting provision, the Medical Device tax that would cripple the economics of local communities, and the Medicaid Maintenance of Effort (MOE) mandate.
Health Care Issues Page
Press Release: Schock’s Bill Stops Tax Increase on Canton, IL Employer
Press Release: Schock Heads to Supreme Court (text & audio)
Press Release: U.S House Passes Repeal of Budget Busting Illinois Medicaid Mandate
Press Release: Obamacare Mandates Threaten Already Weak State Budget
Press Release: Schock, Ways & Means Committee, Repeal Anti-Business Health Care Provision
Press Release: Schock Supports Repeal of Job Destroying Health Care Law
Press Release: Illinois Republicans Call on Illinois to Join States in Challenging Constitutionality of Health Care Reform Bill
Press Release: Schock Statement on Speaker Pelosi’s Health Care Bill
Press Release: Schock Responds to President’s Health Care Address
The Schock Report - Schock Takes On ObamaCare
Column - Paperwork Gone Wild
Column - Voting to Repeal Another Piece of Obama's Healthcare Law
Audio - Listen to Congressman Schock's comments on being in the Supreme Court chamber
during arguments on the constitutionality of the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act
Schock Supports the Reform American’s Can Afford Act, H.R. 397
Schock is a cosponsor of H.R. 397, the Reform Americans Can Afford Act, which makes several common sense changes to our health care system. These changes include the establishment of Universal Access Programs that guarantee access to affordable health care for Americans with pre-existing conditions. It also prevents insurers from cancelling a policy unjustly because of simple errors that were made on the insurance application forms. H.R. 397 also allows Americans to buy health insurance across state lines so Illinoisans will be free to purchase health insurance from another state that may better suit their family’s health needs. The legislation also levels the playing field between large companies and small businesses by giving small businesses the power to pool their resources and offer health insurance at lower prices. Unlike the current health law, H.R. 397 does not raise taxes, create a mandate on all Americans to buy health insurance or cut Medicare. I believe legislation like H.R. 397 is a better way to fix our health system as it helps to reduce overall health costs.
Illinois Medicaid Costs
In the letter to the Senate leadership on May 17th, 2012, Schock and Cross spearheaded a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitchell McConnell, signed by ten Illinois Congressional Republicans and all 54 Illinois State Republican Representatives, demanding that the US Senate follow the actions taken in the House in repealing the Medicaid Maintenance of Effort (MOE) mandate in the Affordable Care Act.
On May 10th, 2012, House voted to repeal Medicaid MOE requirement. Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross issued a joint statement calling on the US Senate to join the House in passing legislation.
In April, Congressman Aaron Schock and Leader Tom Cross embarked on a state wide tour to call attention to the mounting budget pressures facing Illinois taxpayers on the duel threats of expanding Medicaid costs and the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act. In February, Governor Pat Quinn unveiled his FY 13 budget plan calling for a $2.7 billion reduction in Medicaid spending. However, the Quinn Administration has yet to secure the federal waiver needed to implement cost-saving reforms enacted last year that would require proof of income verification for all Medicaid applicant.
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