Brownback should sign health care compact

April 16, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement urging Kansas Republican Governor Sam Brownback to sign legislation joining an interstate compact to allow states to regulate health care on their own without federal interference:

“Should the people of Kansas wish to opt out of federal administration of health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and the insurance exchanges, they should be allowed to. The health care compact will restore control over health care to the states that choose to adopt the compact.

“Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger’s erroneous statement that the bill offers no clear plan for how the compact might be administered ignores what the bill actually does, which is allow states to administer federal health programs the way they see fit. By opting into the compact, once adopted by Congress, it will empower Kansas to administer federal funds for health programs. It’s really as simple as that. It would be up to the state legislature to work out the details.

 “Governor Brownback should sign this bill immediately. To veto it would be to cede to federal control over health care, and to accept that Obamacare is here to stay.”

Attachments:

House Bill 2553 at http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2553_00_0000.pdf

H.J. Res 110, Feb. 11, 2014 at http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-joint-resolution/110/text?q={%22search%22:[%22h%20j%20res%20110%22]}

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (202)744-4427 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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