Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the first major candidate to announce his presidential bid for 2016, stated he and his wife, Heidi Cruz, will sign up for healthcare coverage through the federal market exchange set up by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a law he has been fighting to kill, according to CNN.
"We'll be getting new health insurance and we'll presumably do it through my job with the Senate, and so we'll be on the federal exchange with millions of others on the federal exchange," said Sen. Cruz.
According to CNN, his admission follows Ms. Cruz's decision to take an unpaid leave of absence for the duration of Sen. Cruz's presidential campaign. Neither Ms. Cruz nor Sen. Cruz will have access to the company's benefits during that time.
When asked if he would accept the government contribution available to lawmakers and congressional staffers for healthcare coverage through the PPACA, Sen. Cruz said no, and that he will "follow the text of the law."
Under the PPACA, members of Congress and certain congressional staffers are required to obtain coverage through the D.C. Health Link Small Business Market. According to the report, the Office of Personnel Management's guidelines state lawmakers and their staff receive a "government contribution" if they attain coverage through the PPACA.
Sen. Cruz clarified he will not accept the government contribution.
The Texas conservative gained fame during his first years in the Senate by denouncing President Barack Obama's healthcare law and leading an effort to defund it. While some have called Senator Cruz's decision to obtain healthcare insurance under the PPACA ironic, he denies there is anything ironic about this.
"I believe we should follow the text of every law, even laws I disagree with," Senator Cruz told CNN. "It's one of the real differences — if you look at President Obama and the lawlessness, if he disagrees with a law he simply refuses to follow it or claims the authority to unilaterally change."
According to the report, Senator Cruz said he will continue advocating for the repeal of the law.