GOP Weekly Address: Obamacare Glitches 'Just the Tip of the Iceberg' - East Idaho News
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GOP Weekly Address: Obamacare Glitches ‘Just the Tip of the Iceberg’

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ABC 110113 DanCoatsOfficial?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1383356502995Office of United States Senator Dan Coats(WASHINGTON) — In this week’s Republican address, Indiana Sen. Dan Coats says the website isn’t the only problem with the new health care law.

“It’s more than just a website and the problems run deeper than a few technological glitches,” Coats says in the address.  

He later adds, “The failure of [the] Obamacare launch is just the tip of the iceberg, and unless we act, Americans will be stuck on board this Titanic.”

Read the full transcript of the Republican address:

“Hello. I’m Dan Coats and I have the honor of representing the people of Indiana in the U.S. Senate.
 
“It’s been one month since the launch of the health care law’s website, and many Americans across the country still cannot enroll.
 
“The White House and congressional Democrats have insisted time and again that the Obamacare insurance exchanges would be tested, secure and ready to go on October 1.
 
“The President even told the American public that signing up online would be as easy as a few simple keystrokes.
 
“Perhaps the President hasn’t tried logging onto the website himself because he and his political appointees are not required to join Obamacare.
 
“Let me repeat that – the President and his team are not required to join Obamacare.
 
“Unfortunately, the rest of the country doesn’t have that luxury.
 
“Too many Americans still cannot even access the online exchanges, and for the few that have, they’re experiencing sticker shock.
 
“The President told us that Obamacare is more than a website.
 
“I agree. It is more than just a website and the problems run far deeper than a few technological glitches.
 
“When middle-class families are getting hit with massive premium increases and outrageous deductibles – it’s more than just a website.
 
“When individuals can’t keep the doctors they have trusted for years – it’s more than just a website.
 
“When hardworking Americans are seeing their hours cut and paychecks shrink – it’s more than just a website.
 
“And when more people are losing their plans than are able to enroll in new ones – it’s more than just a website.
 
“Take, for example, Rebecca from Muncie, Indiana. Rebecca is one of the many Americans who received a letter saying her current individual health care plan will be cancelled due to Obamacare.
 
“She discovered that the premiums in the government-approved plans are double and triple what she is paying now. She wants to know why she can’t keep her current plan as the President promised.
 
“There are stories like Rebecca’s all across the country.

“And the administration knew this would happen. This week, the public learned that for at least the past three years, the Obama administration has known that millions of Americans will not be able to keep their health care plans.
 
“But the President has continued to promise repeatedly, ‘If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period.’
 
“Well, tell that to over 300,000 people in Florida who have received cancellation notices or the nearly one million Californians that may see their health care insurance plans disappear.
 
“Tell that to the tens of thousands of Hoosiers in my state that will see similar notices arriving in their mailboxes.
 
“This is about more than just a website and it will take more than a 1-800 Rose Garden infomercial from the President to fix this.
 
“The failure of [the] Obamacare launch is just the tip of the iceberg, and unless we act, Americans will be stuck on board this Titanic.
 
“This is why Republicans are going to keep fighting to protect consumers from the consequences of the health care law.
 
“Despite all the problems, warning signs and broken promises, the President and Senate Democrats have decided to stick with Obamacare and continue to stick the American people with fines if they don’t sign up.
 
“In September, I introduced a bill to delay the Obamacare mandates for a year.
 
“What would my delay bill accomplish?
 
“Well, first, it’s all about fairness.
 
“The administration announced that it will delay penalties for employers who do not provide health insurance coverage to workers.
 
“However, the White House refuses to delay the individual mandate. As a result, families will need to demonstrate that they have Washington-approved insurance or face tax penalties. This simply isn’t fair.
 
“A delay of both of these mandates would provide all Americans with the same relief the President already gave to businesses.
 
“And if Obamacare isn’t working as promised, why should Americans be forced to pay a fine if they don’t sign up?
 
“Second, it’s about giving the American people control over the future of their health care.
 
“By delaying the mandates until 2015, Americans will be able to weigh in on the health care law’s fate.
 
“Until recently, many had not felt the impact Obamacare would have on their everyday lives.
 
“But as premiums increase, paychecks fall and individuals face tax penalties in the coming months, people are rightfully outraged and they want their voices heard.
 
“Americans deserve the opportunity to decide whether they want to keep Obamacare or replace it with real solutions – solutions that bring down the cost of care and protect the vulnerable.
 
“The House already has taken the first step and passed similar legislation, offered by my Indiana colleague Todd Young, to delay Obamacare mandates. And 22 House Democrats supported it.
 
“Several Senate Democrats have recently come out in support of delaying parts of the President’s health care bill as well.
 
“So there is bipartisan agreement that this law is not working. Fixing a website won’t fix the damage that’s already been done and the pain we’ll continue to see.
 
“Americans deserve access to affordable, quality health care.
 
“So let’s start over and do this right for the American people.
 
“Thank you for listening.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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