Obama Administration Picking Winners & Losers with Employer Mandate Delay

Last week, the Obama Administration announced it would delay the “employer mandate” portion of ObamaCare, set to kick in on January 1, 2014, for one year. This law will have serious ramifications for individuals, insurers, and the overall health of the economy that we cannot afford. This delay is the Administration’s attempt to address many of the underlying problems I have already outlined with the law and its implementation – but it falls short of what our nation truly needs. A delay of one year for just one portion of the law simply does not go far enough.

Ultimately, I hope that we can delay ObamaCare permanently – by repealing the law and replacing it with smart, focused, market-based solutions that work for Arkansas families. This delay simply punishes employees, as they are forced to buy coverage of their own without the aid of their employer. According to a report from the House Energy & Commerce Committee, premiums could rise as much as 400% once this law is implemented. This will constitute a heavy burden on Arkansas families, who are already struggling under the President’s policies which have produced higher prices on energy and consumer items, while choking job growth.

I have consistently advocated for a multi-year delay of the entire law, authoring a letter to Congressional leaders earlier this year asking to put off its implementation. Additionally, I have asked the Arkansas state legislature to reconsider its decision to expand Medicaid coverage under ObamaCare as we seek to secure this delay. ObamaCare is estimated to add $1.3 trillion in entitlement spending over the next 10 years to our nation’s budget – a massive, unsustainable burden on federal finances. Currently, our fiscal house is in disarray. We are $17 trillion in debt, and unless we are able to pass permanent spending controls our debt will continue to grow. We must take action to stop the spread of this malignant debt swiftly and decisively.

While this is a good sign that the White House is beginning to realize the many problems with ObamaCare, I will continue working with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to exhaust every possible avenue to fight this law. We can work together to ensure that America’s health care system remains among the best in the world. Clearly, the implementation of this law undermines that goal.