Obamacare Premiums on the Rise Again
By Congressman Tom Cole
More than six years after Obamacare was signed into law and forced upon the American people, the outlook for the law looks even bleaker than before. Throughout its implementation, millions of Americans have directly felt the negative consequences of the president’s unworkable law through lost coverage, unfair mandates and higher premiums. In fact, the already ridiculous premiums resulting from Obamacare are expected to see another dramatic increase in the coming year.
According to the findings of a study conducted in more than a dozen cities by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Obamacare premiums next year will likely go up by 10 percent on average. The study also found that some areas could see an increase as high as 18 percent.
Speaking of high premiums and what that could mean for Oklahomans, it brings to mind what happened in the past. Last November, when the Department of Health & Human Services announced premiums would increase for most states using the federal health exchanges, Oklahoma was expected to experience the hardest hit. In fact, our state was projected to see the highest nationwide increase, approximately 35.7 percent, on premiums for this year.
Despite the president’s assurances ahead of passage and his disingenuously rosy rhetoric still today, the reality is that Obamacare has not made coverage more affordable or accessible. While some of the uninsured might be better off with the passage of Obamacare, the majority of Americans who had insurance they liked are now needlessly suffering.
Republicans are no strangers to the fight against Obamacare, and I am proud to say that we have never accepted defeat and have continued to oppose it on behalf of the American people. Since 2011, House Republicans have voted more than 50 times to repeal the president’s unfair law, either partially or completely. And in January of this year, both the House and Senate voted for repeal and finally sent it to the president’s desk for the first time. Not surprisingly, President Obama vetoed it.
Unfortunately, the damage done by Obamacare isn’t likely to be undone when a Democrat is in the White House. Fortunately, November is coming. In the meantime, Republicans remain committed to offering a patient-centered alternative to help those Americans who want to have access to quality affordable coverage. In order to ensure a better future for generations to come, that alternative must protect consumers from high cost, low quality healthcare and improve rather than handicap the nation’s economic performance.
In the coming days, I am pleased to report that Speaker Paul Ryan’s task force in the House will unveil that conservative alternative to the nation’s healthcare system. I am confident that it will benefit all Americans.
