Tagged: affordable care act

Indiana Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence compared the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Affordable Care Act to the terrorist attacks of September 11.

The comment was reportedly made during a a closed door GOP meeting, according to Politico.

The conservative congressman quickly apologized.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., dismissed the role of the Supreme Court in disagreeing with the high court's ruling to uphold President Obama's health care law.

From Paul's office:

 “Just because a couple people on the Supreme Court declare something to be ‘constitutional’ does not make it so. The whole thing remains unconstitutional. While the court may have erroneously come to the conclusion that the law is allowable, it certainly does nothing to make this mandate or government takeover of our health care right,” Sen. Paul said.

Congressman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., believes the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the Affordable Care Act.

The justices are expected to rule on President Obama’s chief legislative accomplishment on Thursday to determine whether the law is constitutional. According to polling, at least 37 percent of Americans want the law struck down while other surveys show 35 percent want it upheld.

The campaign for Republican Senate Richard Mourdock accidently released the Indiana state treasurer's various reactions to the Supreme Court's possible rulings on President Obama's health care law.

The videos were briefly posted to YouTube before the Mourdock campaign yanked them, but not before media outlets were able to repost his different versions to the high court upholding or striking down the Affordable Care Act.

Republican congressional candidate Brooks Wicker called on Democratic incumbent John Yarmuth to vote against the medical device tax in the president’s healthcare law on Thursday. 

The Affordable Care Act includes a 2.3 percent tax on certain devices to pay for the legislation with an anticipated $29 billion over the next decade. Despite a veto threat from President Obama, the GOP-controlled House passed legislation to repeal the fee by a 241-to-173 vote.

Supporters of the repeal cite a study from the healthcare industry that warns about higher prices and the loss of  manufacturing jobs.

Speaking in front of Humana Inc., Wicker told a handful of supporters the tax makes pacemakers and knee replacements more expensive, and Yarmuth needs to explain his support of President Obama’s law.

"I’m calling on him to explain to the citizens of the Third District why he continues to support legislation– Obamacare—which the overwhelming number of people in this community do not support,” he says.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear says early work has begun on the state's health insurance exchange.

Under the Affordable Care Act, states must build online marketplaces where residents can compare insurance plans and prices. If states don't, the federal government will run the exchanges. Beshear has promised to sign an executive order implementing the exchange if the Supreme Court rules the ACA is constitutional, but he says the state is already preparing for that outcome.