[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14947]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      THE REAL WORLD OF OBAMACARE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President charged that the 
government shutdown is the result of an ``ideological crusade to deny 
affordable health insurance to millions of Americans.'' I would beg the 
President to read his correspondence and listen to the millions of 
Americans who are losing their affordable health insurance as a result 
of ObamaCare, who are seeing their health care premiums skyrocket or 
their hours cut back at work or who are losing their jobs or the health 
plans they liked and that he promised they could keep.
  Here's a sampling of the emails and letters I've received last week 
from people who have come face to face with the ugly reality of 
ObamaCare. A woman from El Dorado County, California, writes:

       Last month, I received a letter from the human resources 
     manager at my place of employment that states I am going to 
     receive a 23 percent pay cut as a result of ObamaCare. They 
     say they are required by the employer mandate to provide 
     insurance for every employee or face a fine. My 23 percent 
     pay cut is equal to $22,000 and will financially devastate my 
     family, as I am the primary income of our family. I tried to 
     explain that I already have insurance through my husband's 
     employer and Blue Cross/Blue Shield and I do not need another 
     policy. However, they said ObamaCare does not have an option 
     for married employees who are paying for coverage through 
     their spouse's employer. I even offered to pay the $2,000 
     employer fine instead of being subject to the $22,000 pay 
     cut, but they said that is not an option.

  A man from the town of Pioneer, California, writes:

       I received a letter from my insurance carrier that, as of 
     the end of this year, they will drop all individual plans in 
     our State because of ObamaCare.

  A woman from Markleeville writes:

       ObamaCare is already affecting me in my ability to obtain 
     diabetic testing supplies. Please at least defund it; better 
     yet, repeal it. And then go to work on real reforms that are 
     necessary.

  A man from Sonora writes:

       I have just received my projected health care cost for this 
     coming year through Kaiser. The premium will be increasing by 
     43.8 percent. Health care is becoming increasingly 
     unaffordable. The current health care, fuel, and power cost 
     is destroying our economy. Wages are going down, and the cost 
     of living is rising. If the current trend is not reversed, 
     our country and all in it are looking at financial and 
     economic ruin.

  A man from Amador County, who is in the durable medical equipment 
business, writes:

       Obama has already killed our industry, and soon your 
     telephone is going to be ringing off the hook with 
     disgruntled patients that cannot get product.

  A woman from Nevada City writes:

       Please repeal ObamaCare. The health insurance for our 
     family this year went up more than $450 each month. It's not 
     possible for middle class citizens to pay that.

  From Farmington, California, a woman writes:

       I have worked in the health care industry as a registered 
     nurse for over 25 years and have already seen its negative 
     impact in the hospital just in preparing to begin working 
     with it. Also, my husband and I have noticed the increasing 
     of prices in our own private health care charges.

  A woman from Granite Bay writes:

       As a result of ObamaCare, our health insurance costs have 
     tripled . . . our copay has doubled, and the deductible has 
     also gone up. Also, my primary doctor retired, the next one 
     closed his practice, and my present doctor will close her 
     practice if ObamaCare is not repealed.

  A man from Rocklin writes:

       As a result of this legislation, my health insurance cost 
     through my employer has nearly tripled. Combined with anemic 
     economic growth--resulting in 1 percent pay raise per year 
     since 2009 and bonus cut by two-thirds--increased taxes, et 
     al, I have effectively had severe pay cuts. And most of my 
     coworkers as well. The ACA is a burden on me, my family, my 
     community, and our future.

  From Auburn, California, a woman writes:

       I did some shopping at Save Mart in Auburn today and talked 
     to a woman who works there. She said the store is cutting 
     back everyone's hours to 20 hours per week. I asked if it was 
     because of ObamaCare, and she said yes. This is happening all 
     over the country, and it's outrageous.

  Mr. Speaker, I'm sure that the President and our Democratic 
colleagues are hearing these same complaints. I wonder: Why aren't they 
listening?

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