Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Oklahoma City -Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak on Wednesday applauded the 112th Congress for its vote to repeal the expensive, restrictive and unconstitutional mandates placed on states and consumers under recent federal health care reforms known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Doak previously joined a federal lawsuit against the reforms, and supported Oklahoma State Question 756, which permitted Oklahoma to opt out of the federal program’s demands that all citizens maintain private health insurance policies.
"With the passage of State Question 756 in November, Oklahomans already went on-record that these federal mandates were not in our state’s best interests," Commissioner Doak said. "Today, Congress has taken the first step toward lifting this federal burden from taxpayers everywhere, including Oklahoma."
Instead of greater federal control over the health care system, Commissioner Doak advocates implementing health care solutions at the state level, facilitating the purchase of insurance across state lines, and promotion of association health plans to both increase health care options and lower insurance costs for Oklahomans.
"It is a theme I have heard repeated from my constituents across the Sooner State," Commissioner Doak said. "Oklahomans want to keep our health care choices. Oklahomans want and deserve quality health care at affordable prices. Oklahomans don’t want a bureaucratic federal health care system that puts distance between doctors and their patients.
"The system devised in Washington, D.C., provided none of those things that most Oklahomans want from their health care system, and embodied almost everything they don’t want. Congress’ vote to repeal that program is welcomed in Oklahoma."
-30-
ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA INSURANCE DEPARTMENT
The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state.
###
For more information contact:
Shawn Ashley
(405) 521-4525
(405) 568-6004
e-mail: shawn.ashley@oid.ok.gov