Statement from Hoyer:
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act:
“Our highest court has weighed in, and its decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a victory for all Americans who have ever worried about being able to access or afford the care they need. Democrats are proud to have worked hard to pass this landmark legislation in 2010 and of our efforts to make sure it is implemented in a way that continues to yield new benefits for patients, employers, and care providers.
“The Affordable Care Act made it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against patients on the basis of pre-existing conditions, which has already benefitted nearly 1,000 Marylanders. The law has benefitted 46,000 young adults in Maryland who have gained coverage on their parents’ plans until age 26. The Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ is closing, saving Maryland residents over $53 million on their prescription drugs, and over 550,000 seniors on Medicare benefitted from free preventive services, like mammograms and colonoscopies last year alone. Maryland has received $5 million to fight unreasonable premium increases, and over 140,000 Marylanders with private insurance coverage will receive nearly $28 million in rebates from insurance companies this summer. Moreover, the Affordable Care Act provides deficit savings of more than $1 trillion over the next two decades.
“This decision ensures the Affordable Care Act will remain in place and that the time for litigation and partisan posturing on this issue ought to come to an end. We must now work together to implement the Affordable Care Act in order to make care affordable and accessible to Americans.”
Statement from O’Donnell:
"Today’s Supreme Court decision finding Obamacare constitutional is a disappointment. While I disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision, we must respect it. It is important to note that the Supreme Court has said that the individual mandate imposes a tax on Americans. That is a direct contradiction to Steny Hoyer's position that the law did not contain a tax. Obamacare is still a disaster for working families, so it is even more important to replace those who made it happen, like Steny Hoyer.
"Hoyer falsely claimed on the floor of the House that
- Obamacare would cut the Deficit – instead, the Deficit ballooned.
- We could keep our insurance – instead, many companies have dropped all insurance.
- Obamacare would reduce cost of our insurance – instead, it has gone up.
- Obamacare would protect Medicare – instead, they took $500 billion from Medicare.
"Now it is up to Congress to repeal Obamacare before it can do any more harm to the economy by implementing new taxes and burdensome regulations. Unless Obamacare is repealed immediately, millions of American families will lose their current healthcare coverage and will be forced into new government-run healthcare programs.
"Unfortunately Steny Hoyer has been in Congress for 31 years and is the individual chiefly responsible for rounding up the votes for passing the government takeover of our healthcare. Hoyer will not repeal this disastrous law he wrote.
"Congress has a great responsibility before them now. It’s time to take measured, bi-partisan steps and use market forces to drive down costs, increase access and take the government out of the doctor-patient relationship."
