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Patrick Murphy on Health Care

Democrat

 


We can improve ObamaCare, but it has hugely positive impact

Q: Do you support or oppose ObamaCare as currently written?

Patrick Murphy: The Affordable Care Act was a huge step forward for our country and one of the crowning achievements of President Obama's time in office. I am proud to have his endorsement and I am proud to support the ACA. The ACA already provides healthcare to more than a million Floridians, makes prescription drugs more affordable for seniors, and prohibits insurance companies from charging women more just for being women. It also ensures Floridians with pre-existing conditions still receive the care they need. We can build on this progress by expanding Medicaid in Florida to cover 848,000 Floridians without health insurance. While there are of course improvements we can make to the ACA, the law has had a hugely positive impact on Florida and the country. We should work to build off its success and I will always oppose Republican attempts to tear it down.

Source: Vote411.org League of Women Voters: 2016 Florida Senate Race , Sep 19, 2016

Fight repeal to keep ObamaCare's tangible benefits

The Health Care Reform bills signed into law by President Obama achieved some important and tangible goals:
  • If you have a pre-existing condition, you won't be denied coverage.
  • If you get sick, the insurance company won't be able to drop you.
  • Lifetime limits were eliminated.
  • More young people going to school will get coverage through their parent's plans.
  • New insurance plans must improve preventative care.
  • New plans must now implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims. By 2014, if we can protect this bill from being repealed, insurers won't be able to impose annual spending caps. The repeal of health care reform would be an extraordinary step backwards for patients and particularly the families and seniors of South Florida. Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that repealing the law would add another $210 billion dollars to the deficit.
    Source: 2012 House campaign website, murphyforcongress.us, "Issues" , Nov 6, 2012

    Opposes repealing ObamaCare.

    Murphy opposes the CC Voters Guide question on ObamaCare

    Christian Coalition publishes a number of special voter educational materials including the Christian Coalition Voter Guides, which provide voters with critical information about where candidates stand on important faith and family issues. The Christian Coalition Voters Guide summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Repealing "Obamacare" that forces citizens to buy insurance or pay a tax"

    Source: Christian Coalition Voter Guide 12-CC-q5a on Oct 31, 2012

    GOP can't beat ObamaCare, so they pretend it's a "disaster".

    Murphy voted NAY Full Repeal of ObamaCare

    Heritage Action Summary: This vote would fully repeal ObamaCare.

    Heritage Foundation recommendation to vote YES: (2/3/2015): ObamaCare creates $1.8 trillion in new health care spending and uses cuts to Medicare spending to help pay for some of it. Millions of Americans already have lost, and more likely will lose, their coverage because of ObamaCare. Many Americans have not been able to keep their doctors as insurers try to offset the added costs of ObamaCare by limiting the number of providers in their networks. In spite of the promise, the law increases the cost of health coverage.

    Secretary of Labor Robert Reich recommendation to vote NO: (robertreich.org 11/22/2013): Having failed to defeat the Affordable Care Act, Republicans are now hell-bent on destroying the ObamaCare in Americans' minds, using the word "disaster" whenever mentioning the Act, and demand its repeal. Democrats [should] meet the Republican barrage with three larger truths:

    1. The wreck of private insurance: Ours has been the only healthcare system in the world designed to avoid sick people. For-profit insurers have spent billions finding and marketing their policies to healthy people--while rejecting people with preexisting conditions, or at high risk.
    2. We could not continue with this travesty of a healthcare system: ObamaCare is a modest solution. It still relies on private insurers--merely setting minimum standards and "exchanges" where customers can compare policies.
    3. The moral imperative: Even a clunky compromise like the ACA between a national system of health insurance and a for-profit insurance market depends, fundamentally, on a social compact in which those who are healthier and richer are willing to help those who are sicker and poorer. Such a social compact defines a society.

    Legislative outcome: Passed House 239-186-8; never came to a vote in the Senate.

    Source: Supreme Court case 15-H0132 argued on Feb 3, 2015

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