[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 151 (Monday, October 28, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ACA RAISES COSTS ON YOUNG AND HEALTHY COVERAGE
(Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, HHS
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to testify before the House
Energy and Commerce Committee on the massive technological failures of
the online rollout of the Affordable Care Act; and while some of my
colleagues would lead you to believe that these are only minor Web site
glitches, I rise to address a more basic, fundamental flaw in the
construct of the Affordable Care Act.
The structure of the design, admittedly by an MIT economist who
helped create ObamaCare, was to increase rates for the young and
healthy while decreasing rates for the elderly or sick. The problem is
this only serves to deter young Americans from purchasing health care
when faced with the costs of education, a first home, and the prospect
of starting a family.
We all want Americans to be covered, but higher premiums for the
young and healthy to subsidize those who are greater consumers of
health care was not the bill of goods the American people were
originally sold. Mr. Speaker, young Americans deserve better.
____________________