Editor’s Note: The Herald received this response from Cong. Tom Rice. We sent him our editorial called “Is It Fair?,’ and asked for his comments:
Dear Betsy:
Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) commonly referred to as “Obamacare”. I appreciate you taking the time to share your views with me, and I have heard from many constituents who feel the same way as you.
The PPACA is a government takeover of our health care system, which stifles job creation and will cause our health premiums to skyrocket. This law forces us to relinquish control of one-sixth of our economy to unelected Washington bureaucrats. It is for these reasons that I voted for H.R. 45, To Repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Most everyone agrees that our current health care system is broken and needs reform. We must improve the quality of our health care, increase access to that care, and reduce the costs of health care. However, the PPACA attempted to reach these goals in all the wrong ways: onerous government mandates, over a trillion dollars in new taxes and fees, and expansion of failing government health care programs. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) now predicts that the PPACA will cost taxpayers $1.88 trillion and cut $716 billion from Medicare, all while causing premiums to increase as much as 413%. As many as seven million Americans with employer-provided health insurance may lose their coverage, despite promises to the contrary.
As an employer, I always provided insurance for my employees; I never wanted them to go without. However, I had my choice in what types of coverage to provide, unlike employers under the PPACA. Employers are now faced with a great burden to either provide this coverage or pay penalties that they cannot afford. Americans need health care, but this plan is not it. Individuals and businesses alike cannot afford the “Affordable” Care Act.
Rather, my colleagues and I are working on alternatives to truly address the problems in our current health care system. We could make real progress by allowing the purchase of health care plans across state lines and increasing the portability of plans so people do not lose their coverage when they lose their jobs. Reforming our tort system and medical liabilities would also help to bring down costs and significantly reduce the amount of expensive defensive medicine. Further, allowing for the creation of high-risk pools for individuals with pre-existing conditions would ensure that those who need health insurance most are able to obtain it. These are some responsible, free-market ideas that I hope we can make some real progress on in our efforts to repeal and replace this unworkable law.
For up-to-date information about where I stand on some of the most pressing issues facing South Carolinians and the Nation today, please visit my website– http://rice.house.gov. From there, you will be able to sign up for my e-mail newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, all of which will provide you with regular updates on what I am doing in Washington, D.C. to better the Seventh District.
I understand your time is valuable, and I thank you for reaching out to me. It is an honor to represent the Pee Dee and Grand Strand, and if I may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Tom Rice
Member of Congress
