By Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) 

As I watched CSPAN coverage of the Congressional debate on health care reform, I was greatly concerned about the creation of another new, expensive and massive entitlement program.  As we have seen from the nearly bankrupt Social Security fund, the underfunding of Medicare and Medicaid, and our mounting national debt, the federal government is great at making promises, but not so good when it comes to paying for them. 

Future generations will have to pay for this health care reform.  Although many people cheered when the legislation was signed into law, their reactions may be dramatically different when the bill comes due.  This includes all those people forced to purchase health insurance when those provisions commence in 2014. 

Many people do not realize the burden this legislation will put on states.  For instance, in Pennsylvania thousands of more people will be eligible for Medicaid, which will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars over time.  Medicaid is already one of the largest areas of the state budget, with 1 in 6 Pennsylvania residents currently enrolled in the state’s medical assistance program.  This federal mandate to cover additional individuals will create a huge strain on already financially strapped states. 

I have signed onto legislation that would allow Pennsylvanians to control their own health care decisions.  House Bill 2053, the Health Care Freedom Act, would preserve an individual’s right to refuse to take part in a government-run health care plan.  It also would protect the patient-doctor relationship.  House Bill 2179 proposes an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that would protect the right of Pennsylvania residents to choose their own health care plan and to purchase health care insurance from the provider of their choice.  

I am also supportive of Attorney General Tom Corbett’s participation in a 13-state lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of this legislation.  The Constitution was written by our forefathers to protect Americans from government tyranny and preserve individual liberties.   Forcing individuals to purchase health insurance is an example of government greatly overreaching its authority. 

I sincerely hope this lawsuit is successful in protecting our personal rights from government infringement.  Just as the 13 colonies stood against Great Britain during the American Revolution for unfairly taxing the people, we now have 13 attorneys general rising up in a peaceful and lawful challenge to a burdensome and un-American mandate on the people. 

If you would like to join me in this fight against the federal health care overhaul, visit PAHouseGOP.com and sign the Petition to Pass the PA Health Care Freedom Act. 

Finally, I would like to thank all the federal representatives, like Cong. Todd Platts (R-York), who voted against this bill that will be so detrimental to states’ budgets.   

Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(717) 767-3947
Contact:  Nicole Wamsley
nwamsley@pahousegop.com or (717) 783-8063
Member site:  RepGrove.com
Twitter site:  Twitter.com/repgrove