Businesses, Entire States Run Away from Dems’ Devastating Healthcare Law

May 20, 2011

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Businesses, Entire States Run Away from Kissell’s Devastating Healthcare Law
North Carolina Democrat Still Stands with Unpopular Government Takeover of Healthcare

Washington —– Although Larry Kissell continues to defend the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare, the news keeps getting worse this week as small businesses and entire states distance themselves from the law’s devastating effects. Just this week, it was revealed 20 percent of the newest healthcare law waivers were issued to businesses in Nancy Pelosi’s very own San Francisco district, and Harry Reid’s entire state of Nevada had to ask for a waiver as well. Their political allies which bankrolled efforts to pass the law have also disproportionately been exempted from its damaging effects. Even though the Democrat takeover of healthcare continues to increase healthcare costs and destroy jobs, Kissell defended the law by voting against repealing it (H.R. 2, Roll Call Vote #14).

“Kissell continues his defense of the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare even though the law increasingly burdens small businesses and middle-class families already struggling to make ends meet,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Now, even Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid’s own constituents are trying to escape the effects of the law Kissell continues to defend. If the Democrats’ big labor allies who bankrolled efforts to pass the law can easily get special exemptions from its consequences, why can’t small businesses in North Carolina?”

Nearly 20% of the new waivers from the healthcare law come from businesses in House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi’s own San Francisco district:

“…Tru Spa’s owner said new government health care regulations, both the federal-level Obamacare and new local laws in Northern California, have ‘devastated’ the business. ‘It’s been bad for us,’ he said, without divulging his name, referring to the new health care restrictions.” (Matthew Boyle, “Nearly 20 percent of new Obamacare waivers are gourmet restaurants, nightclubs, fancy hotels in Nancy Pelosi’s district,” The Daily Caller, 5/17/11)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s state of Nevada had to ask for a waiver that applies to the entire state:

“The Health and Human Services Department announced late Friday that Nevada had secured a statewide waiver from certain implementation requirements of the Obama administration’s health care law, because forcing them through, the department found, ‘may lead to the destabilization of the individual market.'” (Karoun Demirjian, “Nevada secures partial waiver from federal health care law,” Las Vegas Sun‘s The Policy Racket Blog, 5/16/11)

The very same political groups who bankrolled the efforts to pass the law are now exempting themselves from its effects:

“As of Friday, the administration had issued 1,372 one-year waivers for health care plans covering nearly 3.1 million people. Mark Hemingway of the Weekly Standard reported that more than half the entities that sought waivers are in union plans. They cover more than 1.5 million people.” (Editorial, “If Obamacare Is Good, Why All the Waivers?” The Charleston Daily Mail, 5/17/11)
“The appearance of favoritism exists with the new AARP exemptions, too. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sens. John Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat, and Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, wrote to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius last October asking her not to do what HHS just finalized today – that is exempt Medigap policies from the HHS rate increase oversight.” (Matthew Boyle, “AARP latest to receive Obamacare break,” The Daily Caller, 5/20/11)

None of this comes as a surprise as the law is actually driving healthcare costs up:

“U.S. employers can expect an 8.5 percent increase in their medical costs next year due in some part to the healthcare reform law, the consulting firm PwC said in a report Wednesday. The widely read annual report on cost trends points to three main drivers of healthcare costs, two of which are exacerbated by the new law.” (Julian Pecquet, “New report finds medical costs to rise 8.5 percent in 2012,” The Hill‘s Healthwatch Blog, 5/18/11)

As the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare continues to be implemented, North Carolina families will continue to face more consequences from the law Larry Kissell defended. Kissell’s vote will be remembered as more small businesses and even entire states find ways to escape the law’s devastating effects.

Businesses, Entire States Run Away from Dems’ Devastating Healthcare Law http://ow.ly/4Z3QU #madeinwdc

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