By Emily Summars Attorney General testifies on health care Attorney General Scott Pruitt testified in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements. Pruitt testified about Oklahoma’s lawsuit that challenges the federal Affordable Care Act. Oklahoma’s lawsuit argues that, in states that did not adopt a stat health care exchange, the Internal Revenue Service cannot impose tax penalties on “large employers,” including local and state governments, under the Affordable Health Care Act. During his five-minute testimony, Pruitt said actions taken by the IRS and other agencies have “legal and economic implications,” raising critical issues for Oklahoma and those not participating in state health care exchanges. “When Congress passed the act, they gave states a choice,” Pruitt said. “The ACA [Affordable Care Act] included benefits and consequences.” After the IRS finalized a ruling, the State of Oklahoma filed a lawsuit in September challenging the ruling. Pruitt called the IRS’ move that of “rogue agencies abusing the law to advance their own agenda.” “Large employer penalty violates the law but cripples employers,” Pruitt said. “The penalty equates to millions annually for middle sized employers when one employee qualifies for a subsidy… We value our state’s economic stability and rule of law. We hope to obtain relief through the courts and oversight by officials.”
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 22:19:26 +0000
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