Politics & Government
Harford County Executive Calls Obamacare 'Massive Health Care Tax'
County Executive David Craig criticized the health care law taking effect Oct. 1.
With a government shutdown looming, Washington lawmakers are at a stalemate over the Obama administration's Affordable Care Act, a health care law that Harford County Executive David Craig criticized Monday as "not really affordable at all."
The health care law, set to take effect Oct. 1, requires people to have insurance.
If people's employers do not offer health insurance, each state may create an online marketplace for individuals to compare and enroll in qualifying plans.
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"Maryland's least expensive Obamacare plan will be 83 percent higher than the lowest-cost plan sold in the state this year," according to Craig, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful. He issued a similar statement blasting Obamacare in August.
"This is a massive health care tax politicians are attempting to brand as something else, and they are forcing people to buy it," Craig said.His position is in line with House Republicans who are trying to use budget deadlines and debt limit increases to work toward concessions, with a "favorite target" being the health care plan, according to the New York Times.
If Congress doesn’t approve a bill by Oct. 1, basic federal government operations would halt, and workers would be without a paycheck until the funding is restored.
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