Bridenstine derides 'Obamacare' at Glenpool meeting
By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer on Apr 3, 2013, at 2:00 PM
1st District Congressman Jim Bridenstine speaks at the Glenpool Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
National Politics
The Mexican American Legislative Caucus and the Texas NAACP filed a lawsuit Tuesday to overturn the state's Voter ID law, joining the Justice Department in fighting the law.
Implacable Republican opposition to Obamacare has Congress once more veering closer to gridlock.
GLENPOOL -- First District Rep. Jim Bridenstine commiserated with business owners about the uncertainties of the Affordable Care Act during an appearance Wednesday at the Glenpool Chamber of Commerce.
"This system is not going to be good," said Bridenstine. "Everybody recognizes it, on both sides of the aisle."
The freshman Republican, who attempted to persuade House leadership to defund the controversial reform package, outlined a long list of potential financial and administrative disasters associated with the Jan. 1 implementation of most key features.
At least some of those attending the luncheon at the Glenpool Conference Center, though, had more basic problems with the ACA, which is often called "Obamacare."
They just wanted someone to tell them how it would apply to their individual businesses.
One employer said he currently pays 100 percent of his workers' medical costs and has been trying to find someone who can explain how he can continue that benefit without him or his employees being penalized by the so-called "Cadillac tax" -- an excise tax to be assessed beginning in 2018 on individuals whose employer-provided health insurance premiums exceed $10,200 for individuals or $27,500 for a family.
Another, who said she owns a staffing company, said she has been getting calls from clients wanting to know if they can get around the ACA coverage requirements by hiring through her firm.
Bridenstine acknowledged uncertainty is one of the biggest problems with the ACA.
"I don't know the answer," Bridenstine told the staffing company owner. "I don't know if anybody knows the answer."
National Politics
The Mexican American Legislative Caucus and the Texas NAACP filed a lawsuit Tuesday to overturn the state's Voter ID law, joining the Justice Department in fighting the law.
Implacable Republican opposition to Obamacare has Congress once more veering closer to gridlock.
