Mon, 05/21/2012 - 6:30am | Andrew Gasser
The Illinois Tea Party is shocked to learn House Republican Leader Tom Cross is cutting a deal with Chicago Democrats to implement Obamacare two years early in Cook County. "We have fought the passage and implementation of Obamacare for three long years," said Denise Cattoni, State Director of the Illinois Tea Party. "For Tom Cross to flip-flop on Obamacare while its constitutionality is being ruled on in the Supreme Court is unfathomable. Obamacare was written behind closed doors and passed against the will of the people through backroom deals. Illinois Republicans seem poised to repeat that same mistake."
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"We're urging all of our leaders and members to contact Leader Cross and their local legislators to urge them to stand with the taxpayers and oppose the implementation of Obamacare," said Cattoni. The Illinois Tea Party is made up of 90 affiliated local groups and organizations.
Every Republican in the United States Senate and House of Representatives voted against the passage of Obamacare and the Illinois Tea Party expects no less from Illinois Republicans. If Republicans considering voting for Obamacare believe they will get a free pass from fiscal conservatives because the primaries are over, they are mistaken. The deadline for Independent candidates to file to run for state senator and state representative is June 25.
"We plan on running independent candidates against any Republican who votes for Obamacare," promised Cattoni. "If they can't stand with us against Obamacare and raising taxes, when will they stand with us?"
The Illinois Tea Party supports real reform of the Medicaid system for the benefit of taxpayers as well as those most in need of affordable healthcare.
"The fundamental problem with Medicaid is that our state government is not a health insurance company and should not be acting like one," says Dr. Mark Neerhof, a practicing physician who has dedicated his career to serving all patients, including those on Medicaid. "It's ineffective, inefficient and costs are spiraling out of control because decisions are being made by politicians and bureaucrats instead of doctors and patients."
"More physicians are not accepting patients on Medicaid, which leads to lack of access to care and poor outcomes. Failing to reform Medicaid will hurt people. We need to make Medicaid a program where we provide assistance to people in need so they can have their own quality health insurance," said Dr. Neerhof.
"Under Governors Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn, the number of Illinois residents of Medicaid has risen to 20%. We're having problems paying our bills because politicians have added coverage and options beyond what is mandated by the Federal government. Furthermore, the state is not doing what is necessary to verify income and residency requirements. Adding more people to the Medicaid rolls through the implementation of Obamacare will only further increase costs and limit access to needed care." says healthcare insurance broker and subject matter expert Steven Tucker.
"The Civic Federation found the State of Illinois will rack up $21 billion in unpaid Medicaid bills by 2017. We need to repeal Obamacare and the Medicaid Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement to give Springfield and other state governments the flexibility to seriously reform Medicaid and help build a better health care system for those most in need," said Tucker.
"Tom Cross was for real reform before he was against it," Tucker said.
Dr. Mark Neerhof and Steven Tucker are available for interviews to discuss real Medicaid reform and the dangers of implementing Obamacare.
About the Illinois Tea Party
Our mission is to attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.
Since the tea party movement began in February 2009, tens of thousands of Illinois citizens have turned to us for education, encouragement, candidate support and direction on how to reform Washington DC and Illinois government. The Illinois Tea Party is made up of over 90 affiliated groups and organizations.
Conservablogger Comment:
The office phone for Tom Cross is 217-782-1331. I urge you to call and let him know how you feel about Obamacare and the deal being struck with Democrats for its early implementation.
Visit the Illinois Tea Party website at http://IllinoisTeaParty.net
