Murkowski Backs ‘If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It’ Act

Targeted News Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 -- The office of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following news release:

Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced her co-sponsorship of S.1617, the If You Like Your Health Plan You Can Keep It Act of 2013, amid rising reports of thousands of Alaskans' inability to continue on with their current health care plan as President Obama had promised during the campaign to pass the legislation.

"'Keep your health care plan if you like it' was one of the key claims that <person>President Obama used to force this flawed law through Congress, and now over 5,000 Alaskans have seen this promise broken in the first month of its rollout," said Senator Murkowski. "Americans deserve honesty. Nancy Pelosi said we had to pass this bill to find out what was in it, and it turns out to be a work of fiction. That's not fair to Alaskans who are anxious and uncertain about their coverage and that of their families."

The legislation will amend the Affordable Care Act to allow Americans to hold onto the health insurance plans they are satisfied with, and not force them to discontinue their plans and enter the health care exchange. Last week, a key health care exchange provider, Enroll Alaska, announced they were indefinitely suspending their operations due to widespread problems with the system that included its subsidy calculator.

Senator Murkowski is joined on this bill by the sponsor Ron Johnson (WI) and Senators Lamar Alexander (TN), Kelly Ayotte (NH), John Barrasso (WY), Richard Burr (NC), Roy Blunt (MO), John Boozman (AR), Saxby Chambliss (GA), Daniel Coats (IN), Thomas Coburn (OK), Thad Cochran (MS), Susan Collins (ME), Bob Corker (TN), John Cornyn (TX), Michael Crapo (ID), Michael Enzi (WY), Deb Fischer (NE), Jeff Flake (AZ), Lindsey Graham (SC), Charles Grassley (IA), Orrin Hatch (UT), Dean Heller (NV), John Hoeven (ND), James Inhofe (OK), John Isakson (GA), Mike Johanns (NE), Mark Kirk (IL), John McCain (AZ), Mitch McConnell (KY), Jerry Moran (KS), Rand Paul (KY), Robert Portman (OH), James Risch (ID), Pat Roberts (KS), Marco Rubio (FL), Tim Scott (SC), Jeff Sessions (AL), Richard Shelby (AL), John Thune (SD), Pat Toomey (PA), David Vitter (LA), and Roger Wicker (MS).