Tim Jones: “Health Care Freedom Act” Passed by General Assembly

JEFFERSON CITY—A hard-fought victory for individual choice in health care was earned late yesterday afternoon when the House took the final bold step for the General Assembly and “truly agreed and finally passed” the Missouri “Health Care Freedom Act,” a measure sponsored by Rep. Tim Jones (R-Eureka) in response to the recent passage of the federal health control bill commonly referred to by the media as “ObamaCare.”

The act was attached to a comprehensive insurance bill, House Bill 1764, and prohibits any federal law from interfering with an individual’s health care freedom and liberties—if approved by Missouri voters. According to the bill, the Health Care Freedom Act will be placed before voters on the August 2010 ballot, and if approved, no federal law can force a patient, employer, or health care provider to participate in any government or privately run health care system.

“This legislation simply protects the rights of Missourians to choose their own health care products and services without fear of facing fines or imprisonment,” Rep. Jones said. “It does not reject any federal health care option, nor take away an individual’s choice to participate in the federal health care plan. The measure expands options, not limits them. I am proud to lead Missouri’s push-back on this intrusive, costly mandate from Washington, D.C, and eager for Missourians’ voices, which have for so long been denied, to finally be heard at the voting booth.”

Rep. Jones also says that the bill will protect small businesses from burdensome requirements.

“In this economy, we cannot push ineffective, wildly expensive mandates on our businesses and then expect economic growth,” Rep. Jones said. “This unprecedented order from the government placed upon individuals and businesses to buy certain products and services must be stopped.”

After passing the House by a vote of 108-47, HB 1764 now moves directly to the Office of the Secretary of State due to the referendum contained in the measure. The Health Care Freedom Act is being emulated in 42 other states.