Collins cheers delay in Obamacare, while Slaughter calls GOP obstructionists

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted today to delay implementing some pieces of Obamacare, including the individual mandate, a requirement on individuals to buy health insurance.

That would be delayed until 2015, according to the House legislation. The House also voted to delay a requirement that businesses with 50 or more workers provide insurance or pay a penalty. The Obama Administration already said it was delaying that provision until 2015.

“The votes today to delay both the employer and individual mandates required under Obamacare were about what is fair to the American people,” U.S. Rep. Chris Collins, R-Clarence, said in a statement. “By choosing to delay only the employer mandate, President Obama is selectively deciding which portions of the law he is going to enforce, and that is not fair to America’s hardworking men and women.”

Collins noted some Democrats supported the delays in some components of Obamacare.

“Today, both Republicans and Democrats agreed that individuals and families deserved the same break given to businesses,” Collins said. “However, this legislation only delays the enforcement of the employer and individual mandates, and the next step must be a full repeal of Obamacare.”

Collins said Obamacare is damaging the economy.

“Workers are having their hours cut, and businesses are afraid to expand and hire new employees due to the uncertainty created by Obamacare,” he said.

The votes marked the 38th time the GOP majority has tried to scale back Obamacare since Republicans took control of the House in January 2011.The House bills are unlikely to advance in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The votes came on a day when New York reported a 50 percent reduction in insurance premiums for people obtaining insurance through the individual market.

“Today’s announcement is fantastic news for New York families and confirms what I have been saying all along – that the Affordable Care Act will result in lower health care costs and better coverage,” said U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport.

She said the new health care law has added competition to market, resulting in a drop in premiums.

“Given the widespread success the law has had already, it’s easy to see why Republicans in Congress have been so hell-bent on obstructing Obamacare and have voted to repeal it dozens of times: they don’t want the American people to see the law in action,” Slaughter said in a statement.

“They know the result will be better care at a lower cost and a system where doctors and patients – not big insurance companies – are in charge of medical decisions. It’s time for the House GOP to abandon their attempts to take away the benefits in the Affordable Care Act, and instead get to work on the American people’s number one priority: creating jobs and improving our economy.”