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Working Americans Should not Pay for ACA Failure

Working Americans Should not Pay for ACA Failure

White House Was Warned of Exchange Problems; Imposes New Tax Penalty Anyway

(Washington, D.C.) – Nearly one week into enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (also called the ACA or Obamacare), Americans who try to purchase insurance are still dealing with a website that does not work properly. It is estimated that 99 percent of those who attempt to sign up for insurance are rejected because of website problems. This was a long time coming, the Government Accountability Office warned months ago that enrollment might encounter technical problems. Additionally, many are finding that the policies offered are either not affordable, or do not provide the coverage that the buyer is seeking.

Given that the ACA requires Americans to purchase insurance or pay a tax penalty, these problems are of great concern. Penalties imposed under the ACA on large employers who do not offer insurance to their employees, have been waived until 2015 by President Obama, but the President refuses to offer the same benefit to individuals.

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

"It was always wrong to impose a tax penalty on Americans just because they cannot afford health insurance. Millions of people are losing their current policies because of ACA regulations, and they may not be able to purchase a new one because of cost – or because of a dysfunctional website. How many will lose their current health care – or pay far more for it – due to the stubborn insistence on pushing forward with a law that doesn't work?

The President needs to admit this law was a mistake, and stop rejecting the many requests from Congress to negotiate about what to do next."

For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact:  Judy Pino, 202-578-6424 or Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309, 571-257-3309.