WASHINGTON, D.C. | January 6, 2017
It’s a new year with
new opportunities to deliver real solutions that will improve the lives of the American people. That is precisely what Republicans are aiming to do, taking early action to
rein in an onslaught of regulations that is crushing America’s families and small businesses.
Unfortunately, there are some in Washington who are gearing up to fight for the failed status quo. Just this week, President Obama and congressional Democrats
huddled to discuss their defense of the disastrous health care law. This is the same law that has led to:
- Rising premiums and deductibles. The Affordable Care Act has proven to be anything but “affordable.” Obamacare exchange premiums increased by an average of 22 percent this year. And according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, workers enrolled in employer-sponsored plans have seen their deductibles skyrocket by an average of 60 percent since 2010.
- Fewer choices. Americans were repeatedly promised, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.” But as Obamacare unraveled, countless families lost the coverage they had and the doctors they trusted. Their choices dwindled even further in 2017 with a mass exodus of insurers from failed Obamacare exchanges. And federal officials recently confirmed that 20 percent of those who use Healthcare.gov have access to only one insurer.
- Higher costs for small businesses. Instead of empowering small businesses to provide health care coverage for their employees, the failed health care law has done just the opposite. Small business owners participating in a National Federation of Independent Business survey cited the cost of health insurance as the number one problem they faced in 2016. And since Obamacare was enacted, the percentage of small business owners with less than 50 employees who offer health insurance has dropped to 29 percent (down from 39 percent in 2010).
This is the reality working families and small business owners have been facing for years, and it’s a reality even some prominent Democrats have had to acknowledge:
- There's a whole lot of parts to this that are really working badly in the execution and implementation. Those of us who've run things as mayors and governors, it's causing us to tear our hair out. – Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
- The reality is the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable for increasing numbers of people. – Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN)
They’re not alone. President Obama has even said that his signature law has “real problems.” Unfortunately, as the American people seek relief, the president and congressional Democrats are busy strategizing on how to protect their failed government takeover of health care.
Fortunately, in this new year, relief is on the way. In fact, the Republican-led Congress is already taking steps to repeal Obamacare and provide a stable transition to a patient-centered health care system that delivers more choices, lower costs, and greater control for working families. Soon, Americans will have A Better Way to access the quality, affordable health care they deserve.
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