[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 142 (Wednesday, September 30, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H6717]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RURAL CALIFORNIA HARMED BY OBAMACARE

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, ObamaCare is simply failing rural America. 
A recent report showed that rural residents are left with even higher 
skyrocketing costs and even more barriers to care.
  A knee replacement in northern California, for example, is $43,000, 
but the price tag for that same service for a knee replacement in Los 
Angeles is $27,000. In addition, residents in northern California face 
a 7 percent increase, or a total of $384 a month or $4,600 a year, 
under Covered California.
  Our health industry needs competition, the key to driving costs down 
and increasing options for quality care. Unfortunately, the ACA has 
only discouraged competition, especially in rural areas where more and 
more physicians and providers are closing up shop, citing difficulties 
to operate under arbitrary regulations coming out of D.C.
  Mr. Speaker, rather than hindering small business with red tape, 
let's work to advance policies that encourage competition and location 
of doctors and nurses coming to rural America; and reward that 
innovation so we can tackle the issues plaguing rural health care, such 
as the staggering doctor and nurse shortage and increasing premiums and 
barriers to timely care.

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