Loebsack Introduces Legislation to Hold Congress Accountable During Healthcare Debate

Congressman Dave Loebsack today introduced legislation to ensure Members of Congress are held accountable when dealing with the healthcare coverage of millions of Americans. Loebsack's legislation, the Holding Congress Accountable on Healthcare Act, would mandate that if Congress passes legislation, which makes changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the enactment of that legislation leads to an increase of the uninsured rate, Members of Congress would no longer be eligible to be enrolled under a health plan offered through an ACA Exchange, Federal Employee Health Benefit Program, or any other Federal health care program. They would also no longer be eligible for any Federal tax credit or subsidy with respect to health insurance coverage.

"Members of Congress are elected by their constituents to be their voice in Washington, not pass laws that do one thing for Iowans but leave Members untouched. When Members of Congress vote on legislation that could lead to an increase in the nation's uninsured rate, they must be able to live by the same rules they are forcing on the American people. If Congress passes legislation that causes folks across the country to lose their healthcare insurance, they too should feel the same pain. I strongly believe that Members of Congress must have a personal stake in the future of our nation's healthcare policy."

Specifically, the Holding Congress Accountable on Healthcare Act, states that if legislation is signed into law that makes changes to the ACA and the uninsured rate rises above what it was on January 20th, 2017, then Members of Congress would lose eligibility to receive any coverage through the ACA Exchange, Federal Employee Health Benefit Program, or any other Federal health care program. When the ACA was passed into law, language was included in the bill that mandated that Members of Congress and their staff buy health insurance on the newly created health insurance exchanges Currently, Members of Congress and their staff, are not exempt from the ACA and receive their health insurance through the Washington D.C. Healthlink.

Since coming into office, Loebsack has set out to change the culture of Washington. Starting in 2007, he worked to pass the largest ethics reform since Watergate. He is also pushing to cut member's pay, which hasn't been cut in over 80 years, end the revolving door between lobbyists and Congress, get budgets passed on time, and is fighting to hold Members of Congress accountable for actually doing what they were sent to Washington to do.

Read this original document at: https://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395067