ABC 27 Harrisburgh, York, Lancaster and Lebanon, Pa.
March 23, 2011
Health care law's anniversary marked by
debate at state Capitol
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) - The debate over the federal health care law heated up Wednesday in the state Capitol.
Gov. Tom Corbett, who testified before a congressional field hearing on the impact of the law, told a House subcommittee that the Affordable Care Act creates a huge financial burden on Pennsylvania.
The governor said that he still believes the law imposes an unconstitutional mandate that forces citizens to purchase health insurance.
Corbett and other attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the federal health care act last year. He said Wednesday that President Barack Obama should fast-track all challenges to the U.S. Supreme Court for a final ruling.
"Everybody is in agreement that one way, shape, form or another this is gonna end up in the Supreme Court and they will decide it," he said.
Just down the hall in the Rotunda, advocates for lower-income Pennsylvanians celebrated the Affordable Care Act on the first anniversary of the day it became law. They told stories of how the new law has helped them, and said the congressional hearing was nothing more than a mouth-piece for big business.
"They're responding to CEO's of big companies that give them campaign contributions," said Marc Stier, executive director of the advocacy organization PennACTION. "Average people in this state are already benefiting from this legislation and they're gonna benefit even more when it's fully into effect."
But the congressmen didn't hear that message. they heard "expensive" and "onerous."
"The right thing to do for the American people is repeal this bill and put forward bills that refine and improve the health care system we have," Republican congressman Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania said.
Repeal isn't likely with a Democratic Senate and President, so House Republicans will push reforms like reducing lawsuit abuse and increasing competition among insurers.
"You can purchase car insurance from a lizard. You can't buy health insurance from the next state," said Rep. Joe Pitts of Lancaster, who chairs the subcommittee. "We think interstate competition is good."
There was certainly a competition of ideas, separated by mere feet.
"The real issue is here: people down in that room and around this country, many of them don't like it that President Obama won the election," Andre Butler of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project said. "That's what it is. Let's be honest about it."