State of the Union Should Include Proposed Health Care Fixes

State of the Union Should Include Proposed Health Care Fixes
Instead, President Focused on Tax Increases 

(Washington, D.C.) – As the president prepares to deliver his annual State of the Union address, proposals to fix the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, should be included. Public reports indicate that just as in the first year of the new health care law, public officials are putting enormous pressure on Latinos to enroll – including increased government spending in Spanish-language media. Nevertheless, Latino enrollment under the second year of the health care law continues to disappoint. This is no surprise as recent polling shows more Latinos say they have been hurt by the law than helped by it – and a plurality of Hispanics say it should be repealed. Those who remain uninsured despite the law have cited affordability as a problem – with 40 percent of all uninsured saying they intend to remain uninsured.

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:  

“Tomorrow night the president will ask Congress to approve hundreds of billions in new tax increases – including a proposal to raise taxes on families saving for college. Hopefully Congress will reject these ideas. It would be better for the president to focus on issues where it is possible to work with Congress – such as addressing the problems with the new health care law. 

This law will cost taxpayers $2 trillion over the next decade – yet many Latinos and others continue to reject it. Coverage under the law is priced out of reach of many families, with narrow networks and high deductibles posing serious problems for middle-income families. Six years ago, the president promised lower insurance rates, more choices, and higher-quality care. Instead, the American people have been saddled with more uncertainty and continuing economic challenges. Full-time employment opportunities continue to disappear as employers shift to part-time jobs in order to cope with these costly new mandates. It’s time for the president to revisit those promises – and work on delivering on them.” 

For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Brian Faughnan, 703-678-4581 or Steven Cruz, 202-578-6173.

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