Former Gov. Mitt Romney said Friday that without his 2006 health care insurance reform in Massachusetts, widely known as “Romneycare,” there would probably be no Obamacare today.
The former Republican presidential nominee made the comments in an obituary for Staples co-founder Thomas Stemberg, who died Friday at age 66.
Mr. Stemberg was “an extraordinarily creative and dynamic visionary,” Mr. Romney told The Boston Globe.
“Tom is one of the great business leaders of our state and our nation,” he said. “He was not only the founder, but someone who grew the company to a multi-billion dollar enterprise. He built an industry that employs thousands and thousands of people.”
Mr. Romney said that if it wasn’t for Mr. Stemberg persuading him to push for health care reform in Massachusetts when he was governor, there would likely be no Romneycare.
“Without Tom pushing it, I don’t think we would have had Romneycare,” Mr. Romney said. “Without Romneycare, I don’t think we would have Obamacare. So, without Tom a lot of people wouldn’t have health insurance.”
In a Facebook post Friday afternoon, Mr. Romney clarified that he still rejects Obamacare on the federal level.
“Getting people health insurance is a good thing, and that’s what Tom Stemberg fought for,” he wrote. “I oppose Obamacare and believe it has failed. It drove up premiums, took insurance away from people who were promised otherwise, and usurped state programs. As I said in the campaign, I’d repeal it and replace it with state-crafted plans.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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