Rep West: "Obamacare's Second Anniversary: Failure and Broken Promises"

Release:

Palm Beach County, FL - Today Congressman Allen West released the following statement marking the second anniversary of Obamacare:

"Two years ago, on March 23, 2010, Obamacare was hammered through Congress. President Obama and Speaker Pelosi promised this unprecedented expansion of the federal government would lead to lower healthcare premiums for families and small businesses. They claimed it would reduce the deficit. They assured us it would protect patient choice and let Americans keep their doctors. And they promised it would improve access to healthcare.

Two years later, healthcare premiums have increased by $2,200 for the average family. The IRS is hiring 16,500 new bureaucrats to enforce Obamacare's myriad of regulations. The latest CBO estimates show that it will increase the deficit over the next decade with the price tag ballooning to $1.76 trillion, nearly double the $900 billion President Obama promised. It is now clear that Americans will not be able to keep their doctors. Medicare was slashed by $575 billion to fund Obamacare, meaning many doctors will no longer be able to afford to treat Medicare patients. Many people will lose their current employer provided health plans as a result of skyrocketing premiums and small businesses going out of business under the weight of Obamacare's taxes and regulations.

Worst of all, the unelected bureaucrats of the Independent Payment Advisory Board have control over the healthcare decisions of our seniors. I will not allow the Obama Administration to put life and death decisions in the hands of government bureaucrats.

We will continue to fight to ensure today is the last anniversary of Obamacare and it is replaced with a series of meaningful, market-based reforms that actually bring down costs, protect patient choice and access for all Americans, and ensure the promises made to our seniors will be fulfilled. But make no mistake, the fight to repeal Obamacare is part of a larger struggle to ensure all Americans remain free to make decisions for themselves and their families, continue to enjoy the unlimited opportunity that has always been the birthright of every American, and can once again look forward to an economy where any dream can be achieved through hard work."