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Lee moves to block individual mandate of health care bill

Posted at 10:44 PM, Jul 22, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-23 00:44:11-04

SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Mike Lee wants to stop a part of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, from going into effect by refusing to fund it.

Lee wants to effectively block the “individual mandate” part of the health care bill. The legislation requires people without health insurance to buy it or pay a fine.
The new legislation would kick in Jan. 1.

Lee said his idea to not fund the new bill is gaining momentum in the House and Senate.

“If we don’t fund it and these things don’t kick in, that’s going to prevent a lot of those bad things from happening,” Lee said. “The important part is that we not allow those things to kick in, because that’s what’s causing a lot of people to lose their health coverage.”

The senator said he still wants to keep the popular parts of the bill, such as allowing children to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26.