The Hispanic Leadership Fund sent a second letter to lawmakers today objecting to provisions in the current health care bill that negatively target minority communities. The current legislation will have a disproportionately negative impact on low-income minority groups and will lead to Medicare cuts for Hispanic seniors, increase in taxes for Hispanic small businesses and reduced wages for Hispanic workers.
Hispanic companies, driven by small businesses, are among the fastest-growing business segments in the United States, growing more than three times faster than the national average. Employer mandates would be an added expense to these Hispanic small businesses as well as lead to lower wages for Hispanic workers. The individual mandate will be a burden on all Americans. Capital investment in new and established businesses will fall under the tax scheme proposed in the reconciliation language.
The Medicare Advantage cuts will negatively and disproportionately target Hispanic seniors. 80% of Hispanic seniors making less than $20,000 per year are on Medicare Advantage. These cuts will force low income, minority seniors out of their current plans into a traditional Medicare program with higher costs and fewer benefits.
Asked about opposition to the health care bill, HLF President Mario H. Lopez replied: “Why is President Obama encouraging Congress to use obscure tricks and shady backroom deals to force an unpopular bill through that saddles our children with debt, increases government dependency in our community, and puts politicians and unelected bureaucrats in charge of our health care? Obamacare is a threat to every family’s pursuit of the American dream.”
