Contact: Claude Chafin 202-225-1112

Blackburn Makes Eleventh Hour Push To Save States From Billions In Unfunded Mandates
Taxpayers Would Be Assured They Can Keep Health Care They Like

Related Documents H.R. 3962 Democrat Health Care Bill GOP ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE PLAN Amendment - Requiring Certification Before Implementation of Health Care Exchange, Public Option Amendmet - Guaranteed Access To High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts Amendment - Prohibition of Government Rationing Amendment - Excessive Spending Amendment - Unfunded Mandates Amendment - Protecting Current Coverage

Feel Free To Share This Page Slashdot Del.icio.us Google Digg Reddit Newsvine Furl Yahoo Facebook

Washington, Nov 6 - Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-07) is submitting a series of Amendments to H.R. 3962 that will save states from tens of billions in unfunded mandates.

“The bill as written will impose a $1.4 billion unfunded mandate on the state of Tennessee through the Medicaid expansion over the next five years. That is just the tip of the iceberg and completely unsustainable.”

Blackburn’s amendments would also ensure that American’s can keep their coverage if they like it by prohibiting the enactment of an insurance exchange until the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies that such exchange will not rob Americans of their existing coverage. Blackburn’s amendments will secure Health Savings Accounts for the Americans who choose to have them. Additional amendments seek to make H.R. 3962 fiscally responsible by ensuring that it does not consume 25% of the federal budget.

Blackburn will submit these amendments during the Rules Committee proceedings this evening.

Unfunded Mandates: Prohibits the federal government from imposing unfunded health care mandates on the states.

Health Care Rationing: Prevents the federal government from passing any law that would ration health care for the American people.

Preserving Coverage You Like: Prohibits the public option and health care exchange programs from being established until the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies that the establishment of the government plan and exchange will not (either directly or indirectly) cause the cost of the average price of private health insurance premiums to increase.

Defending The Coverage You Have: Suspends the operation of the government plans unless the HHS Secretary certifies that no American will lose access to his or her current health insurance due to the establishment and operation of the government plan. This will be an annual certification.

Health Savings Accounts: Ensures that nothing shall prevent an individual from purchasing or maintaining insurance qualifying for Health Savings Account deposits and that nothing shall interfere with an individual’s ability to continue to make deposits according to the schedule created in the 2006 HSA legislation.

Federal Budget Protection: Prohibits excess spending in H.R. 3962. When the cost of the reforms made under the bill consume 25% of the federal budget, then the bill is repealed and return to the system was in place before this bill was enacted.