It seems as though every day we are presented with a new glitch or problem associated with the president’s healthcare law that harms the American people. Whether it be the excessive waste in the implementation of the law, canceled policies, far higher premiums and deductibles, fewer work hours and jobs, or the cybersecurity risks within Healthcare.gov, it could not be clearer that the president’s healthcare law and its execution have been flawed, misguided, and mismanaged.
Over the last several months, the House has held four separate hearings on the issue of data security, and through this Congressional oversight, we have discovered many unsettling vulnerabilities to personal information within the President’s online healthcare exchanges. Cybersecurity poses a significant and growing threat to individual privacy, yet the Obama administration has been so focused on getting the health insurance website to function at a basic level that it has not taken sufficient action to ensure that users’ personal and medical information will be protected, which is unacceptable.
To address this glaring issue, last week, the House of Representatives passed the Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act, which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to notify Americans of a breach of security by a federal or state health exchange within two business days. I was pleased to see this important legislation pass the House with bipartisan support, as it brings much-needed security measures to Healthcare.gov and protects Americans’ most private information.
Yet another problem came to light last week, as reports indicated that while some Americans have paid for coverage to begin on January 1, they have not received proof of their insurance and are having to pay significant out-of-pocket costs for healthcare coverage as a result. This unfortunate consequence is only the latest in the series of problems with the law and is another example of the design and execution of this program hurting people, not helping.
These unsettling realities are posing significant risks to the American people and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that all Americans are protected from the harmful impacts of the President’s health care law.
If you need any additional information, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.
robert hurt represents the Fifth District in Congress.
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