On the recordJune 25, 2013
I thank the gentlelady for yielding. It seems there's no shortage of red flags regarding ObamaCare. The one-size-fits-all health care law is proving to be disastrous for consumers, for employers and health care providers alike. Just last week, as my friend from North Carolina said, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office warned: Because government officials have missed multiple key deadlines to set up the new health insurance exchanges, there is serious concern that the exchanges will not be ready in October, as scheduled. Employers and families across Kentucky have expressed serious concerns about meeting the requirements of the law and wondering if they will lose their coverage, be forced to choose different providers, or be saddled with enormous new costs. Now these individuals are left with even more uncertainty. When talking with business leaders across my district, I hear a barrage of questions and concerns. Small businesses, the backbone of our economy, are likely the hardest to be hit. Some local insurers say the law could put them out of business. One restaurant owner says it will be a challenge for the whole industry and many will be forced to lay off employees. Others simply say it will be difficult to insure all of their existing employees. A Gallup poll released last week showed that 41 percent of small businesses, the engine of our economic growth, have stopped hiring new employees because of ObamaCare.…
