U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, criticized a proposal from Senate Democrats aimed at ending the ongoing government shutdown. Barrasso argued that the plan, which he described as “dead on arrival,” would provide $30 billion in payments to insurance companies without addressing healthcare costs for Americans.
In remarks delivered on the Senate floor, Barrasso said, “The American people deserve a full debate about the unaffordability of Obamacare. Senator Schumer’s offer does nothing to address the cost of healthcare, does nothing to lower premiums, does nothing to reassure the American people. All it does is make insurance companies richer and taxpayers poorer. And that is why it’s dead on arrival.”
Barrasso accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats of holding government funding hostage in exchange for direct payments to insurers. He claimed this approach would exclude taxpayers from having input and fail to resolve issues with rising healthcare expenses.
“Chuck Schumer actually cuts the American people, the taxpayers, out of the process. The people who are waiting for food, the people who are waiting for paychecks, the people who are protecting us – he cuts them out completely. Nope, direct money, Chuck Schumer, from the U.S. government, into the bank accounts of the insurance companies of America. Think about it. Direct payment from the U.S. government to insurance companies, and the American people having absolutely nothing to say about how that money is spent. That’s what Chuck Schumer wants. No accountability,” Barrasso stated.
He also highlighted concerns over premium increases since passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare: “The average Obamacare premium has gone up by 221 percent since Obamacare passed.” Barrasso further pointed out stock price gains among major insurers since ACA implementation.
Barrasso referenced comments made by Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who reportedly acknowledged shortcomings in reducing healthcare costs under current law: “There are Democrats that realize that Obamacare is a failure – failed to lower the cost of care. Because just this week…Senator Peter Welch of Vermont admitted, the Democrats ‘did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.’”
The Wyoming senator also raised issues related to fraud and abuse within ACA enrollment processes: “Last year, the American people filed over 200,000 complaints with the federal government because they were unknowingly signed up or switched into Obamacare plans…Because it happened without their consent.”
According to Barrasso’s remarks, Republicans support reopening government operations through a bipartisan resolution that maintains current funding levels while ensuring pay for federal workers and assistance programs such as food aid.
“Let’s be clear with what Republicans are offering,” he said. “We’re ready to reopen the government today…by passing a clean, continuing bipartisan resolution.”
Barrasso concluded by reiterating his call for reforms aimed at lowering costs and protecting taxpayers: “Republicans welcome a real debate about having taxpayer money going directly to the American people versus this cozy relationship that Chuck Schumer wants to have with insurance companies…It is time to reopen the government.”
