There’s speculation over how the multitude of problems with the implementation of the federal health care plan pushed by Democrats will impact the 2014 elections. Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo who is running for the Senate in 2014, was asked about the impact of his support for Obamacare. “I could care less what impact those problems are going to have on my Senate race,” Braley says. “What I care about is making sure that we fix the problems and that Iowa health care consumers are able to go into the marketplace that’s been set up in Iowa and find out what options are available for them.”
Braley pushed for the Obamacare plan and is seeking the Senate seat being left open by the retirement of Tom Harkin, another major backer of the plan. Braley was asked during his weekly call with reporters if he thinks the problems with the health care website will get better. “The focus has always been on getting the enrollment process to work to give consumers more options. And I think over time we’ll see more and more Iowans having the ability to get access to the information that they need and find out what options are available in the marketplace,” Braley says.
Republicans have pushed to repeal Obamacare, but Braley continues to hold the Democrat line that the program should stay in place. “Because we can’t afford to go back to the days when you could be denied coverage based on preexisting conditions, when insurers could cancel your coverage when you got sick, or where they could increase your premiums without justification,” Braley says. “And that’s what I think the focus continues to need to be on, and I think over time people are going to find out what those options are and how it impacts them.”
Braley also said during his discussion with reporters that he has introduced the “Hire a Hero Act”, legislation that would make permanent tax credits for businesses that hire returning service members and wounded warriors. The Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors tax credits first established in 2011 were extended last year, but are currently set to expire at the end of 2013.