TRI-STATE (WFIE) -
Indiana Senator Dan Coats:
"The president's health care law remains an unpopular, massive intrusion of the federal government into the individual lives of Americans. The Supreme Court's decision today confirms that President Obama broke his promise to Americans that his law would not raise taxes on the middle class.
Obamacare has made the nation's health care system worse, not better. Hoosier families and businesses will be faced with higher taxes, increased costs and burdensome mandates under this law.
The work to reform our health care system is far from over. I am committed to working with my colleagues to repeal the president's health care law and give Hoosiers – not Washington – the power to make their own health care decisions.
The American people will have the opportunity to decide if they want a Congress and White House committed to more taxing, more spending and more federal mandates or one that will work to reduce spending, empower individuals and give states greater flexibility."
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
"The immediate implications for Indiana are a huge increase in health insurance rates, especially for young people, and the need to decide whether to try to construct a so-called "exchange" or let the federal government do so.
The Court's ruling that the federal government has the constitutional power to do what it has done must be respected. But many actions that are constitutional are still unwise. The now undisputed facts that this federal takeover of one-fifth of our economy will worsen deficits, increase the national debt, raise health care costs, and force Americans off insurance coverage they have chosen, still argues for repeal of a dangerously misguided law and its replacement by major reforms based on individual freedom and consumerism."
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear:
"This Supreme Court decision removes much of the uncertainty about the Affordable Care Act.
Kentucky has been systematically preparing to meet the implementation deadlines set forth in the bill as a precautionary matter, and now we will move ahead to establish a state-operated Health Benefit Exchange. I will soon issue an Executive Order to create the state health insurance exchange so Kentucky will be prepared to operate it by the date the law requires.
We continue to review the Supreme Court's opinion, particularly on the Medicaid portion of the Affordable Care Act to determine what our options may be. "
Congressman Larry Bucshon (IN-08):
"I am disappointed but respectful of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold this near government takeover of our health care system that negatively impacts one sixth of our nation's economy. Further, the Supreme Court confirming the Obama administration's argument that the individual mandate is a tax violates the promise President Obama made to the American people. Obamacare is a massive tax increase on the middle class both directly and indirectly through higher taxes on employers.
Obamacare is bad for all Hoosiers and will continue to be a major impediment to job creation and getting people back to work. Along with a sluggish economy, these are the major issues affecting our country. I will continue to work to repeal this law in its entirety and implement market-based solutions that focus on lowering costs while maintaining access to the highest quality of care."
Congressman John Shinkus (IL-19):
"I am disappointed that the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare. This law takes away our rights as individuals to make choices about our finances and personal freedoms, like whether or not to buy insurance. I agree with the dissenters that the law is unconstitutional.
Obamacare did not lower health insurance premiums. It in fact raises premiums and raises taxes. The President himself said this was not a tax. During debate in my committee and on the floor of the House, supporters continue to deny this is a tax, yet the Administration's defense of the bill and the Court's decision are on the basis that this is indeed a tax.
The House will once again vote to repeal Obamacare, but the Senate will probably not even vote on such a measure. If repeal were successful, then we could start fresh with health care reforms that will lower the cost of health insurance, increase the number of insured, and put patients back in charge.
Reforms that I could support would include associated health plans, which allow membership organizations to pool their members; allowing individuals to deduct the cost of insurance like a business can; allowing insurance to be sold across state lines; creating state and regional high risk pools; and passing medical liability reform."
Illinois Lt. Governor Sheila Simon
"The Affordable Care Act is a good law. It helps seniors, young adults and middle class Americans receive stronger, more affordable care. It promotes preventive care, such as checkups and mammograms. And it prevents insurance companies from denying care to people with pre-existing conditions or charging women more based on their gender. The Supreme Court ruling today upholds these commonsense protections and puts our country on a healthier path. In Illinois, I encourage our state leaders to use this ruling as a backdrop as we set policies to make our citizens healthier, train the next generation of health care workers, grow local food systems and find other opportunities to move our state forward."
Kentucky Health and Family Services Secretary Audrey Haynes:
"As the Governor has directed, the Cabinet will continue plans to establish a state-operated Health Benefit Exchange. A great deal of preliminary work to establish the Exchange has already been done at the state level and significant federal grant funding has been received. The Governor will issue an executive order soon to create the Exchange, and we are developing plans for a series of forums to gather input from around the state.
We continue to review the ruling to fully understand all the implications of the decision."
Kentucky Candidate for Congress Andy Barr:
"Today, the Supreme Court exposed ObamaCare for what it actually is: a massive tax imposed upon people who can least afford it," Barr said. "This decision means that the only way to stop ObamaCare is to defeat politicians like Ben Chandler who have voted against repeal of this disaster for working families.
"The Court's ruling did recognize that there are important limits on federal power enshrined in our Constitution. By a 5-4 vote, the Court vindicated the proposition that Congress lacks the power to compel Americans to involuntarily engage in commercial activity. By a 7-2 margin, the Court held that the federal government cannot hold a state's Medicaid funding hostage to the whims of federal bureaucrats.
"For more than two years, an unworkable 2,700-page monstrosity has consumed, distracted, and delayed lawmakers from adopting measures that can truly address the shortcomings in our health care system. Rammed through Congress in the dead of night when most members of Congress had not even had a chance to read it, ObamaCare showcases the arrogance of Washington politicians who think they know better than the rest of us. As Ben Chandler's choice for Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, infamously said, ‘[w]e have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.'
"Every day that ObamaCare remains in effect means rising health care costs, skyrocketing insurance premiums, accelerating job losses, and an exploding federal deficit. In Congress, I will work to fully repeal this unworkable law and replace it with market-based, patient-centered reforms that will lower the cost of health insurance without growing government."
Candidate for Congress (IN-8) Dave Crooks:
"Despite today's ruling that President Obama's health care law is constitutional, I am deeply concerned about the impact that this law will have on the future of Medicare. Washington has work to do to fix this law.
"This law places a tremendous amount of power in the hands of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a panel of appointed officials who will have the power to make changes to the Medicare program. Because voters will not be able to hold this Board accountable, it poses a serious risk to the future of Medicare, and I believe that IPAB should be eliminated.
"Unlike Congressman Bucshon, I believe we have a moral obligation to take care of our nation's seniors, and after a lifetime of paying into Medicare, we have a responsibility to ensure that the program is preserved for current and future retirees. That's why I also oppose the $500 billion cut to Medicare. This provision must also be eliminated.
"As a small business owner and father, I understand the implications this law could pose on taxpayers and on our businesses. In Congress, I will fight to ensure that health care is actually affordable for our families and ensure that regulation does not unfairly burden Indiana small businesses."
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul offered the following statement:
"Just because a couple people on the Supreme Court declare something to be ‘constitutional' does not make it so. The whole thing remains unconstitutional. While the court may have erroneously come to the conclusion that the law is allowable, it certainly does nothing to make this mandate or government takeover of our health care right," Sen. Paul said.
"Obamacare is wrong for Americans. It will destroy our health care system. This now means we fight every hour, every day until November to elect a new President and a new Senate to repeal Obamacare," he continued.
