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Related: About this forumCruz bashes Affordable Care Act at doctors’ event in Austin
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, brought his criticism of the Affordable Care Act to Austin on Saturday when he spoke to physicians and staff at the fall conference of the Texas Medical Association.
Fresh off his failed attempt in Washington, D.C., to defund the federal health insurance overhaul, Cruz outlined his arguments against the new law in his first public appearance in Texas since congressional leaders reopened the government.
At the beginning of his speech, Cruz promised not to talk for 21 hours a joking reference to his marathon speech on the Senate floor in which he pleaded with his colleagues to remove the laws funding, preceding the recently ended 16-day government shutdown.
Not only is it not working. Its not working badly, Cruz told the few hundred people in attendance at the event at the AT&T Conference Center on the University of Texas campus.
Calling the law commonly referred to as Obamacare an epic disaster, Cruz noted in his speech that the rollout of the federally run health insurance marketplaces in Texas and other states was marred with glitches and that most consumers have been unable to shop for health plans.
While the technical issues will be worked out soon enough, the Affordable Care Act has bigger problems, Cruz said. Small businesses are suffering, and their owners are deciding not to expand, he said. Businesses also are reducing employee hours to avoid having to buy health insurance their workers, he said.
Were seeing jobs dry up, he said.
One doctor in attendance, Richard McCallum of El Paso, said he was impressed with Cruzs conviction, but he took issue with the senators logic.
Im a little concerned that he jumped ahead a little bit, said McCallum, a gastroenterologist and professor at the Paul Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech Universitys Health Sciences Center in El Paso.
The Affordable Care Act is in its infancy, and employers with 50 or more workers will not be compelled by law to insure employees until 2015, the doctor noted.
Lets give it a chance, McCallum said.
After Cruzs speech, Austin King, an Abilene physician and the incoming president of the Texas Medical Association, said there are positive components of the Affordable Care Act and parts that need to be changed.
The piece of the law that prevents people with pre-existing conditions from being locked out of plans is important, King said, and so is the part that limits the portion of premiums that can go to insurance companies administrative costs and salaries. But the component of the sweeping law that drives doctors into the employ of groups and hospitals should be changed, he said.
Cruzs visit wasnt all about bashing Obamacare. He also took the opportunity to promote health reforms such as expanding the use of health savings accounts and allowing consumers to purchase insurance policies across state lines.
Source: http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/cruz-bashes-affordable-care-act-at-doctors-event-i/nbSR5/
mbperrin
(7,672 posts)Irresponsible, I'd say.
DhhD
(4,695 posts)Last edited Sun Oct 20, 2013, 12:14 PM - Edit history (1)
http://theconversation.com/health-savings-accounts-just-another-greedy-corporate-scam-3970http://roryshock.blogspot.com/2006/02/bush-bullshits-nation-again-with.html
The recent Red State meetings of Perry and Cruz, Miami and New Orleans respectively, warns that the ACA and Obama's HHS are out to stop the scam by accessing the, Medical Loss Ratio. ACA stops high premiums and bankruptcy caused by Health Savings Accounts. (The scam in part is that there are tax free dollars to spend on your healthcare, that is until you go bankrupt).
http://www.redstate.com/brian_d/2012/07/06/health-savings-accounts-under-attack/
(Remember Perry could not remember that he was in New Orleans instead of Miami? Cruz is working for one of the 7 mountain pyramid schemes in his purist Dominionism global free market agendas.)
DhhD
(4,695 posts)Scroll down to the distinguished Task Force Membership and click on there if you please. According to the doctor at the Austin meeting, as mentioned in the OP, told Canadian E.R. Cruz, Senator from Texas, to give the ACA a chance.
The GOP does not have a Health Care Plan, yet Cruz was speaking out against a patient protection act.