Ritze commends voters for opting out

CapitolBeatOK Staff Report

Published: -4-Nov-2010

State Rep. Mike Ritze commended Oklahomans for overwhelmingly supporting a state question that will give them the choice of opting out of the federal health care overhaul.

“As the primary House author and co-author of the legislation that sent this state question to the ballot, I was proud to see it approved,” Ritze, a Broken Arrow Republican, said. “The citizens of Oklahoma have chosen to opt-out of ObamaCare and not be subjected to federal fines, higher taxes and prison sentences. This is the first step of the ‘3 R’s’ – to Resist, Reject and Repeal ObamaCare.”

According to a release Ritze sent today (Thursday, November 4) to CapitolBeatOK, under the constitutional amendment, listed as State Question 756 on Tuesday’s ballot, no law or rule can compel any person, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system. It also states that Oklahomans will not be financially penalized if they choose not to purchase insurance mandated by the federal health care plan and that doctors shall still be allowed to accept direct payment for services without fear of financial penalty.

“The federal system represents a radical change towards socialized medicine and could easily hurt rural Oklahoma’s access to quality care,” Ritze said. “That’s why we gave voters the opportunity to resist, and they chose overwhelmingly to do so.”

Ritze is a board-certified family practice physician and surgeon.

S.Q. 756 passed with 638,455 yes votes (64.73% of the votes cast), with 347,908 (35.27%) opposed.