ANOTHER FAILED OBAMACARE PROMISE FROM CLAIRE MCCASKILL

Two years after liberal Democrat Claire McCaskill voted for ObamaCare, which she promised would reduce healthcare costs for millions of people, a new report today from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reveals that the price of healthcare continues to increase.

Since the healthcare bill has been signed into law, costs have risen by 9 percent and the average premium has risen by $1,300.  They could rise as much as $2,500 according to today’s CBO report. 

As the CBO reports:

The additional enrollees [i.e., those previously projected to enroll in Medicaid, but who will now receive Exchange subsidies in light of the Court’s ruling] are likely to spend more on health care, on average, than those previously expected to purchase insurance through the exchanges because people with lower income generally have somewhat poorer health.  As a result, CBO and JCT now estimate that the premiums for health insurance offered through the exchanges, along with premiums in the individual market, will be 2 percent higher than those estimated in March 2012.

Notably, the total cost of the healthcare bill has risen from $940 billion to nearly $1.75 trillion. 

“Liberal U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill promised ObamaCare would lower the cost of healthcare, but today Missourians are paying more money than ever,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Lance Trover.  “Between the job-killing taxes and the raiding of Medicare funds, it’s clear Claire McCaskill misled voters about the true effects of her government-run healthcare plan.”

BACKGROUND …

Claire McCaskill Promised ObamaCare Would Lower Healthcare Costs

McCaskill: “We Passed A Bill That I Think Over The Long Haul, That I Think Will Bring Down The Deficit And Bring Down Health Care Costs.” (Manu Raju, “Claire McCaskill: No Forced Senate Health Care Bill,” Politico, 1/20/10)

“McCaskill Said The [Health Care] Bill Is Not Perfect But Will ‘Vastly Improve The Current Realities Of Health Care In Our Country’ By Stabilizing Health Care Costs, Making Insurance More Affordable And Available To Most Americans And By Reducing The Deficit Over 20 Years.” (“Mo. Senators Split On Health Care Legislation,” The Associated Press, 12/24/09)

Meanwhile Healthcare Costs Across The Country Continue To Rise

BLOOMBERG:  “The average cost of a family policy climbed 9 percent in 2011 to $15,073, according to a poll of 2,088 private companies and state and local government agencies by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in Menlo Park, California, and the Chicago- based American Hospital Association’s Health Research and Educational Trust.” (Jeffrey Young, “Health-Benefit Costs Rise Most In Six Years,” Bloomberg, 9/27/11)

WALL STREET JOURNAL:  “[In 2011], the health-insurance premiums employers pay rose sharply this year, with the average annual cost of family coverage passing the $15,000 mark for the first time, according to a major survey.” (“Employer Health Premiums Rise Sharply,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/27/11) 

WALL STREET JOURNAL: “The average annual family premium for 2011 was $15,073, up from $13,770 last year.” (“Employer Health Premiums Rise Sharply,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/27/11)