GOP Doctors Caucus Praises Vote to Repeal Obamacare

Washington, DC – Members of the GOP Doctors Caucus issued the following statements in response to the House of Representatives passing legislation to repeal H.R. 3590, the Patient, Protection and Affordable Care Act, which passed by a vote of 245 to 189:

Rep. Phil Gingrey, M.D., Co-Chair (GA-11): “Today marks the beginning of our path away from a government takeover of healthcare and towards real, meaningful reform that will encourage job creation and foster the doctor-patient relationship. Americans have told Washington repeatedly that Obamacare is not the kind of reform they want, and today we let them know that their demands have been heard. We have a great deal of work ahead of us to provide real reforms to the citizens of this country, but this is an important and necessary step in the right direction.”

Rep. Tim Murphy, Ph.D, Co-Chair (PA-18): “Millions of Americans begged us to fix healthcare, but instead what they got was a law that financed a flawed system with over half-a-trillion dollars in taxes and another half-a-trillion dollars in cuts to seniors’ healthcare. Today’s vote was an important marker. The public knows that standing between them and their doctor and thousands of pages of regulations to be written and dozens of new panels and boards to be appointed. That’s not healthcare reform. Now, the real work begins. I’m ready to go to work with my healthcare colleagues on actually reforming healthcare to extend affordable, quality medicine to all Americans.”

Rep. Charles Boustany, M.D. (LA-07): “This vote is the first step to dismantling the damage caused by President Obama’s health care law, which passed last year despite objections from most Americans,” Boustany said. “I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will join with us in overturning this terrible law. We need to overturn this and replace it with commonsense solutions that actually lower health costs and keep personal medical decisions in the hands of patients and doctors.”

Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (AZ-01): “I applaud the House for repealing the onerous health care reform law. As a healthcare provider, I know that the solution to our health care challenges is not putting a government bureaucrat between you and your doctor. Rather, we can reform our health care system through commonsense ideas like tort reform, portability and increasing competition in the marketplace so that we can actually lower the cost of care and open up access.”

Rep. Scott Desjarlais, M.D. (TN-04): “As a practicing physician for nearly two decades in Tennessee under the TennCare Program, I’ve seen first-hand the failures of a government run health care model. ObamaCare takes the problems I’ve experienced in my home state and expands them to the national level. Voting today to repeal this unnecessary, unwanted health care bill is an important first step in stopping the creation of a massive government entitlement program that we did not ask for, we do not need and we simply cannot afford.”

Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08): “I am encouraged that the House of Representatives has voted to repeal the job-destroying Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). This vote is ensuring the will of the American people is done as we work to get our nation back on track. As a physician, it’s time we focus on real reforms that will control costs and not impede the access to quality care for all citizens.”

Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (GA-06): “Today’s vote to repeal ObamaCare is the first step in fulfilling our promise to repeal and replace a law that will cost American jobs and diminish access to quality, affordable health care,” said House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Tom Price, M.D. (R-GA). “The health and well-being of the American people will be woefully undermined by giving more authority over their health care decisions to an out-of-touch bureaucracy. It is imperative that we reform the health care system but not at the expense of individual liberties. House Republicans will, as we have done in the past, propose patient-centered reforms that address Americans’ concerns in a fiscally responsible, accountable manner.”

Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-01): “Standing by our commitment to create jobs and pass meaningful health care reform, I am pleased the House passed legislation to repeal Obamacare. By passing this legislation immediately, this Congress is sending the message to the American people that we are not in favor of inserting Washington bureaucrats into a patient's relationship with his doctor; that we are not in favor of increasing the cost of health insurance; that we are not in favor of weakening Medicare to create a new entitlement; and that, at a time of record unemployment, we are not in favor of legislation that will eliminate jobs. Through an open and transparent process, we must replace Obamacare with a health care bill that will work to control costs and that is built upon the principle that when individuals are given control and ownership, we will achieve better access to coverage and see the entire system move in a positive, patient-centered direction.

Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10): "Today's vote to repeal the $2.6 trillion government takeover of health care marks an important day in our nation's history. It shows the American people that Republicans respect their will by fulfilling a key commitment. We are serious about protecting the doctor-patient relationship, reducing spending, and preserving jobs. We understand this is merely the first step towards health care reform, and we look forward to implementing positive, market-based solutions to address our health care financing crisis.”

Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01): “In November, Americans sent a clear message that they do not want an elite Washington bureaucrat in charge of their health care,” said Congressman Andy Harris. “Our economy cannot grow with a law that creates such uncertainty for businesses and individuals. As a physician voting in favor of repealing Obamacare, I know that Congress has an opportunity to advocate real health care solutions that will protect jobs, lower costs and preserve patient-centered health care.”

Rep. Joe Heck, M.D. (NV-03): “Increasing access to high quality health care while reducing costs, that was the intent of the new healthcare law. We now see it falls miserably short of those goals, and instead does exactly the opposite. Repealing, repairing and replacing this law’s job-killing tax increases must be done.”

Rep. John Fleming, M.D. (LA-04): “Last year when ObamaCare was passed, the President and Democrats in Congress raised all sorts of claims that it would lower insurance premiums, increase health care access and lower costs. Contrary to these claims, as this law continues to be implemented, premiums have risen, health insurance options have declined, and Medicare and Medicaid are facing significant physician shortages. Additionally, at a time when nearly one out of 10 Americans is out of work, ObamaCare is imposing half a trillion dollars in tax increases on families and small businesses. Americans understand this bill is a grab on their liberty, and they sent Washington that message loud and clear in November. Today, Republicans kept their promise to the American people to repeal this failed legislation which is a crucial first step toward restoring health care liberty to ALL Americans.”

Rep. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA-06): “We have to be rescued from this law. Bottom line: it creates huge new bureaucracies that will drive up costs and take power away from patients. The key to reform is empowering patients to lower costs, and by so doing expanding access to quality care. Repeal is the first step to achieving reform.”

Rep. Nan Hayworth, M.D. (NY-19): “Our vote today to repeal is not merely symbolic. It represents the true will of the American public and it paves the way to reform our health care in a way that will allow our citizens to have the good, cost-effective health care and affordable, portable health insurance they need. We all honor the goals of the Affordable Care Act but this law increases spending, raises taxes, and destroys jobs. With this vote to repeal we are listening to the American people and fulfilling our promise.”

Rep. Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX-26): “Health care is a crucial debate and an issue where we all wish to see improvement for the American people. The way in which the law was done in the last Congress, quickly, behind closed doors, secret deals, loopholes, drafting errors and allowing federal agencies to be created without Congressional knowledge or oversight, is not the way to achieve meaningful reform. As a doctor and as an American, it is time that we repeal the law that was passed last year and start fresh. We need to talk about the real issues at hand: creating a health care system that is focused on patients instead of payments, quality instead of quantity, affordability instead of cheapness, and innovation instead of stagnation. H.R. 2 is but the initial step in this direction.”

Rep. Mike Simpson, DDS (AZ-01): “The Democrats’ health care bill is wrong for our country,” said Congressman Mike Simpson. “I strongly believe the best thing we could do is to repeal the bill in its entirety and start the process over by passing smaller bills that enjoy bipartisan support and focus on bringing down costs for American healthcare consumers.”