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Voters To Get Obama Health Care Mandate Question
May 5, 2011
In what likely will be a fierce partisan battle, Floridians next year will vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that targets President Obama’s signature health-care law.
The House on Wednesday approved a ballot measure aimed at allowing Florida residents to opt out of the most controversial part of the law — a requirement starting in 2014 that Americans buy health insurance.
The 80-37 vote on SJR 2 followed almost straight party lines, with only Greenville Democrat Leonard Bembry joining Republicans in support. The Senate also overwhelmingly approved the measure in March.
House debate echoed the national partisanship that has surrounded the law, which Republicans deride as “Obamacare.” Critics say the law is an abuse of federal power, in large part because of the requirement that people buy insurance.
“I say keep your hands off my freedom,” said Rep. Scott Plakon, a Longwood Republican who sponsored the measure.
But Democrats defended the health law, officially known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and said many uninsured people have to go to hospital emergency rooms for care. They said hospitals pass on those costs to people who buy health insurance.
If the argument is that people don’t want to pay for other people’s health care – it falls apart because people without health insurance still get care paid for by everyone else, said Rep. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando.
“You are paying for health care — the most expensive form of health care — when people go to the emergency room,” said Thompson.
Lawmakers approved a nearly identical amendment proposal last year, but the Florida Supreme Court kicked it off the 2010 ballot because of misleading wording. Plakon and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, tweaked the wording to address the court’s concerns and brought it back during this year’s session.
The proposal would add provisions to the Florida Constitution that say, in part, a “law or rule may not compel, directly or indirectly, any person or employer to purchase, obtain or otherwise provide for health care coverage.”
Supporters hope that would allow Floridians to choose not to participate in the insurance requirement, which has become known as the “individual mandate.” Florida and other states also are challenging the legality of the requirement in a closely watched lawsuit, which is scheduled for arguments next month in an Atlanta-based appeals court.
Democrats have long argued that the proposed constitutional amendment would not ensure Floridians can opt out of the individual mandate. That is because the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution generally leads to federal laws trumping state laws when conflicts arise.
Such nuances, however, didn’t play a part in Wednesday’s debate, as Republicans and Democrats argued about the health law and the role of the federal government. Those arguments likely will be common through November 2012, when Obama also will seek re-election.
“This Obamacare, to me, is the single most divisive issue that has come across our country since the Vietnam War,” said Punta Gorda Republican Rep. Paige Kreegel, who is a physician.
But Hallandale Beach Democrat Joe Gibbons said the House shouldn’t “make decisions solely on partisan political preferences.”
“We should be concerned with healing and not repealing,” Gibbons said.
By Jim Saunders
The News Service of Florida
Comments
7 Responses to “Voters To Get Obama Health Care Mandate Question”
huh,
Are you that stupid? I mean, really?
Jane,
Forced health care is WRONG?
But forcing PRIVATE companies to take on as customers people with pre-exsiting conditions isn’t? Why? Aren’t the people who own private companies entitled to the same protection from overreaching government as you and I? In fact aren’t those people in fact you and I? the populations at large? What next, government forcing car insurance companies to cover people with no insurance AFTER they get into an accident? Same with allowing “kids” to stay on their parents insurance. Give me a break! When I was 26 I have two kids a house and my own business! I was no kid and I took a care of myself and didn’t need mommy and daddy to pay my medical bills.
Everyone needs access to health care. Emergency room visits are expensive. If you have access to an Urgent care center, and don’t have insurance, then you must pay almost $100 up front. If you can’t pay, they send you to the ER. I sat in an Urgent Care Center in Pensacola for five hours one afternoon, with a family member who had insurance, and watched 1 out every four patients turned away because they didn’t have insurance or $96. Even though they had some insurance with the school board, my neighbors have lost their house and declared bankruptcy because of medical bills associated with a newborn. No they didn’t live a lavish lifestyle, drove 15 year old vehicles, she teaches and he works two jobs.
Opposition to the Health care bill was based on, at best, half truths. Rick Scott fought it because he had a vested interest in a major hospital chain that had been fined 2 BILLION dollars for Medicare and Medicaid fraud. He pushed for drug testing for welfare because his wife now controls a chain of outpatient clinics that just happen to do drug testing. Surprise.
The Republicans want to do away with Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, and anything that will inhibit big business from controlling every aspect of our lives and society.
If you are 55 an under, their plan would give you a voucher that would probably pay 15% of your health insurance costs at 65. Remember when Bush wanted to privatize Social Security and the stock market tanked? Health care would be much worse with their plans.
Jane, The republicans recently voted to do away with medicare as we know it. They want to switch anyone younger than 55 to a plan where they get an insentive to buy private insurance. I guess they think private insurance is going to line up to cover old sick people.
I doubt this will pass at least not yet. But this is what they want.
This is the beginning of removing Medicare for seniors…many won’t be able to afford it soon!
This measure has already increased costs to patients, caused problems and increased doctors costs. Forced health care is WRONG! Obamacare only has a few good parts…removing pre-existing conditions, allowing kids to stay on their parents insurance, etc. But it will raise the cost of insurance to a point where people can’t pay the premiums anyway and will just pay the fine. You are removing my freedom and subjecting me to extreme costs and poverty!
““I say keep your hands off my freedom,” said Rep. Scott Plakon, a Longwood Republican who sponsored the measure.”
Good to know that i can stop paying car insurance , Thanks Rep Scott Plakon