Democrats said no to many ACA changes

A response to a post by Linda Panszczyk on Nov. 25. Linda’s remarks about how President Obama and the Dems “bent over backwards” to accommodate Republican amendments to the Affordable Care Act is delusional. More than 200 amendments were offered, but only a fraction were passed. And of these, virtually all were for minor technicalities. All substantive amendments were either voted down or were “tabled”; no discussion or vote was rendered.

As early as 2010, more than 100 amendments were voted down or tabled. Amendments such as: removing partisan bribes for votes like the “Louisiana Purchase” ($300 million for Louisiana Medicaid), $100 million for the UConn provision, the Frontier States Provision which increases Medicare payments to hospitals and doctors in Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming — all states that needed to be bought off for their votes toward passing the ACA.

There were others. An amendment to strike all taxes in the bill. The ACA increases taxes by $569.2 billion over 10 years, which will harm small businesses and middle-class families. An amendment to prohibit exchange plans from being established until the HHS secretary certifies that the establishment of exchange plans will not cause the cost of the average price of private health insurance premiums to increase. The OPTION Act extending tax deductions on health care premiums to all individuals, making health care expenses totally deductible for individuals, not just businesses. An amendment for 100 percent deductibility of individual medical expenses. An amendment protecting the integrity and independence of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs health care systems and the TRICARE program.

Over 100 amendments proposed that protect taxpayers, businesses, veterans and more. Fair treatment across the board — all voted down by the Dems.

David Caldarola

Hoffman Estates