Buchy: Repeal Obamacare

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In Ohio, we have recognized Obamacare for the failure it is and rejected Washington’s attempt to burden Ohioans with the bureaucratic responsibility of managing his federal health care exchange. Our state budget has been choked by the federal expansion of Medicaid, leaving Ohio with few options. We must encourage our congressmen to repeal Obamacare and let the free market work.

States across the country have been plagued by these bureaucratic nightmares after they opted to manage their own healthcare exchanges. In Ohio, we rejected the allure of $5 billion in federal grants and have avoided this looming disaster by refusing to set up a state health exchange.

Like all government programs, state-run health care exchanges are plagued by bureaucrats and technical difficulties and are unsupported by the public. The free market provides affordable health insurance options that allow consumers to achieve coverage without the intrusion of the government. My colleagues and I have time and time again fought against Obamacare in Ohio and will continue to do so.

As a part of this fight, the Ohio General Assembly rejected the inclusion of Obamacare money as part of the FY 13-14 budget. Through political maneuvering, the federal government was able to get Ohio to expand Medicaid. As a result, a small segment of Ohio’s working poor have access to healthcare coverage that would have otherwise not been eligible for any assistance from the federal government.

This decision by Washington costs taxpayers more than $3 billion annually. In the state budget, we opted to allow the federal government to continue paying this frivolous bill because keeping our state budget balanced is a priority. As the federal dollars fade away, a decision to remove funding would only impact a small segment of the population that is considered working poor. That same population is not eligible for federal assistance in navigating the confusing federal healthcare exchange.

This is an example of a gross federal overreach, and I stand with my colleagues in opposition to this poor public policy. Obamacare must be stopped. Despite our strong protest, Washington has artificially inflated our Medicaid budget and mandated coverage for those on Obamacare. The federal government has made it cumbersome to stop these new entitlements and has saddled the state with a portion of the bill. Because of this, our congressmen in Washington must repeal Obamacare.

When Obamacare is repealed, we should tackle the issue of insuring those with pre-existing conditions. Without this coverage, some vulnerable Ohioans will be left for dead. But Obamacare has never been the correct answer to this problem.

Obamacare’s many failures have shown that it is bad policy, and I strongly support efforts in the legislature to block this overreach and remain in support of free market solutions that allow for more affordable health insurance options for hard working Ohioans.

Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyapril2016.

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By Rep. Jim Buchy

Contributing columnist

The writer represents the 84th District in the Ohio House of Representatives.

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