Obamacare’s Failures: ‘Too Obvious To Ignore’

Americans Struggle With ‘Dreadful’ Premium Hikes, ‘Skyrocketing’ Out-Of-Pocket Costs, And ‘Reduced Choice’
“Failing insurers. Rising premiums. Financial losses. The deteriorating Obamacare market that the health insurance industry feared is here.” (The Florida Times-Union, 9/19/2016)

‘Sticker Shock’: ‘Health Care Costs Rise By Most In 32 Years’
“Health care costs rise by most in 32 years . . . Health care costs rose sharply in August. Prices for medicine, doctor appointments and health insurance rose the most last month since 1984.” (“Health Care Costs Rise By Most In 32 Years,” CNN Money, 9/16/2016)

“Employees are paying a whole lot more for health insurance than they did a decade ago.” (“Employers Push Health Care Costs Onto Workers,” CNN Money, 9/14/2016)

• “The average family plan cost $18,142 this year, up 3.4% from 2015, the [2016 Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Benefits] study found. That's faster than both wages (up 2.5%) and inflation (up 1.1%).” (“Employers Push Health Care Costs Onto Workers,” CNN Money, 9/14/2016)
• “‘The cost of health insurance is going up, and businesses have been forced to deal with that by raising their deductibles or increasing out-of-pocket costs for their employees,’ [South Carolina insurance broker Alex Forrest] said. ‘That stinks.’”  (“Would You Like Some Insurance With Your Insurance?,” Kaiser Health News, 9/21/2016)

“Next year, the cost of one of the most popular plans available under the Affordable Care Act could increase by 10 percent on average across the country. That comes on top of a 5 percent jump the year before. When consumers see those prices, [Missouri Association of Health Underwriters president Ryan] Hillenbrand said, ‘they get sticker shock.’” (“Would You Like Some Insurance With Your Insurance?,” Kaiser Health News, 9/21/2016)

“The cost of covering low-income beneficiaries through the law's Medicaid expansion also has increased faster than expected.” (“Behind Health Law's 'Growing Pains,' More Serious Problems?,” The Associated Press, 9/15/2016)

‘Americans’ Out-Of-Pocket Healthcare Costs Are Skyrocketing’
“Americans are also paying more to see the doctor or get a lab test.” (“Employers Push Health Care Costs Onto Workers,” CNN Money, 9/14/2016)

• “Overall, workers are paying up more for deductibles. Over half of U.S. workers with single coverage health insurance plans pay a deductible of $1,000 or more, up from 31% of workers in 2011.” (“Health Care Costs Rise By Most In 32 Years,” CNN Money, 9/16/2016)
• “In 2016, 83% of workers have a deductible . . . with an average of $1,478. The average deductible for workers has gone up $486, or 49%, since 2011. Additionally, the [Kaiser Family Foundation] survey found that 51% of workers have a deductible over $1,000 — the first time this has happened since the survey began in 1999.” (“Americans' Out-Of-Pocket Healthcare Costs Are Skyrocketing,” Business Insider, 9/14/2016)

“The problem here is that many of the Obamacare plans have high deductibles and co-pays, which makes them unaffordable for many consumers without subsidies. The average deductible for the most common Obamacare plan is over $3,000. Average out-of-pocket expenses for a hospital stay can top $4,000.” (Editorial, “Obamacare Is A Failing Insurance Product,” The Florida Times-Union, 9/19/2016)

• “With monthly premiums on health insurance going up, more people are choosing cheaper, high-deductible options. In 2016, more than 90 percent of people buying insurance under the ACA chose plans with an average deductible of $3,000 or higher.” (“Would You Like Some Insurance With Your Insurance?,” Kaiser Health News, 9/21/2016)

‘Many Consumers … Face Reduced Choice’
“Insurers that have suffered steep financial losses are scaling back participation, and many consumers, particularly in small cities and rural areas, face reduced choice.” (“Behind Health Law's 'Growing Pains,' More Serious Problems?,” The Associated Press, 9/15/2016)

• “Realistically, the plans that are working look more like that hated three-letter acronym, HMO. Two-thirds of Obamacare plans, reports The New York Times, offer limited choices of doctors. . . [M]iddle-class people forced out on the Obamacare market are not likely to appreciate seeing their choices reduced.” (Editorial, “Obamacare Is A Failing Insurance Product,” The Florida Times-Union, 9/19/2016)

“[E]ven insurers like Blue Cross Blue Shield — once considered the companies of last resort — are considering leaving the exchanges. More high-profile -ObamaCare exits would mean less competition and could lead to significant premium hikes.” (“Will the Blues be next to leave ObamaCare?,” The Hill, 9/15/2016)

• “Blues plans posted $1.9 billion in losses from the exchanges in 2015, and many are still determining where they will participate in 2017. . .  In many exchanges, the Blues are the last insurers present . . .” (“Will the Blues be next to leave ObamaCare?,” The Hill, 9/15/2016)

‘I Am Being Priced Out Of The Market’: Americans Squeezed By Massive Premium Increases And Vanishing Choices
COLORADO: “Colorado residents who buy their health insurance themselves will pay 20 percent more on average next year, and, for the first time, residents in 14 counties will have the choice of only one carrier offering plans in their area via the state health insurance exchange.” (“Colorado Health-Insurance Rates To Jump 20 Percent On Average For Individual Buyers In 2017,” The Denver Post, 9/20/2016)

• “The increases are the largest in Colorado since the 2014 launch of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. In some parts of rural Colorado, premium increases will top 40 percent, according to figures approved Tuesday by the Colorado Division of Insurance.” (“Colorado Health-Insurance Rates To Jump 20 Percent On Average For Individual Buyers In 2017,” The Denver Post, 9/20/2016)
• “The changes mean that 92,000 people — roughly one of every five consumers in Colorado’s individual market — will be shopping for a new plan . . .” (“Colorado Health-Insurance Rates To Jump 20 Percent On Average For Individual Buyers In 2017,” The Denver Post, 9/20/2016)

MONTANA: “State officials Wednesday released the final 2017 rates for health insurance on Montana’s individual market, with average increases ranging from 27 percent to 58 percent.” (“2017 Individual Market Health-Insurance Rates Filed; Average Increase Up To 58%,” MTN News, 9/14/2016)

• “The average increase for Blue Cross policies on the individual market is 58.4 percent.” (“2017 Individual Market Health-Insurance Rates Filed; Average Increase Up To 58%,” MTN News, 9/14/2016)

TENNESSEE: “[T]he cost of individual health care plans is soaring under ObamaCare. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance last month approved a 62 percent average increase in individual plans and health exchange policies in 2017 by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and an average of more than 40 percent increases for next year by rivals Cigna and Humana. BlueCross rates have more than doubled in three years.” (“White House Claims Obamacare Extends Insurance Coverage, Limits Health Costs In Tennessee,” [Chattanooga] Times Free Press, 9/14/2016)

• “Despite record rate increases planned next year by health insurers still participating in the health exchange plans in Tennessee under the Affordable Care Act, the White House says the health care reform measure is benefiting most Tennesseans.” (“White House Claims Obamacare Extends Insurance Coverage, Limits Health Costs In Tennessee,” [Chattanooga] Times Free Press, 9/14/2016)

ALASKA: “Alaskans shopping for individual health insurance on the federal exchange will only be able to choose from one insurer when open enrollment starts on November 1st. . . [F]our companies have dropped out of the insurance exchange, citing an inability to offer competitive premiums that would cover their health costs.” (“Alaskans Endure Rising Insurance Costs,” Alaska Public Media, 9/21/2016)

• “Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska is increasing premiums . . . High insurance premiums are a problem in the state. For example, Premera had increases of 37 and 38 percent the last two years.” (“Alaskans Endure Rising Insurance Costs,” Alaska Public Media, 9/21/2016)
• “Juneau Montessori School teacher Laurie Clark loves working with toddlers. But the 61-year-old is not sure how much longer she can afford to do it. . . [S]he’s paying $1,500 per month for individual health insurance, three times what she paid last year in New Mexico. ‘What choice do I have? . . .’ she said.” (“Alaskans Endure Rising Insurance Costs,” Alaska Public Media, 9/21/2016)

ARIZONA: “‘Arizona is now an example of what happens when the market is unstable, leaving residents with little choice,’ Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona said in a statement. ‘We are re-evaluating our 2017 plans and where Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona makes coverage available.’”  (“Will the Blues be next to leave ObamaCare?,” The Hill, 9/15/2016)

MARYLAND: “We are the ‘individually insured’ who don't qualify for a subsidy under the Affordable Care Act, and my premiums are dreadful . . . After the 20 percent hike last year from CareFirst, I went from the least expensive silver plan to the cheapest plan of all. This year, it looks like our premiums will rise again — at least another 20 percent. I am guessing my premiums will be hovering around $500 per month. My deductible is the out-of-pocket maximum of $6,500. . . I have maintained my own insurance for most of my adult life, but now I am being priced out of the market.”  (Letter to the Editor, The Baltimore Sun, 9/19/2016)

Democrats’ Sales Pitch: ‘Lowers Costs For Every Patient, Reins In Premiums, Copays And Deductibles’
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Families will save on their premiums.” (President Obama, Remarks After Meeting With Senate Democrats, 12/15/09)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “This is why this legislation is important: affordability for our middle class. It lowers costs for every patient, reins in premiums, copays and deductibles, limits out-of-pocket costs, and lifts the cap on what insurance companies cover each year. (Rep. Pelosi, Press Conference, 10/29/09)

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “Bringing down costs of health insurance and making it more affordable is job one for this health care reform.” (Sen. Durbin,Congressional Record, S. 13413, 12/18/09)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “[W]e are bringing security and stability to millions who have health insurance ... What we will do is ensure consumers have more choices and insurance companies face more competition.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S. 13891, 12/24/2009)

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