ANOTHER FAILED OBAMACARE PROMISE FROM SHERROD BROWN
Two years after liberal Democrat Sherrod Brown voted for ObamaCare, which he promised would reduce healthcare premiums for millions of people, today a new report 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 Sherrod Brown promised ObamaCare would lower healthcare premiums, but today Ohioans are paying more money than ever,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox. “Between the job-killing taxes and the raiding of Medicare funds, it’s clear Sherrod Brown misled Ohioans about the true effects of his government-run healthcare plan.”
BACKGROUND …
Sherrod Brown Promised ObamaCare Would Lower Healthcare Premiums
Brown Said The Health Care Law Would Reduce The Deficit And Lower Premiums. Brown: “This is a historic moment for our country. The health reform bill headed to President Obama’s desk will reduce the deficit, ensure that more than 30 million uninsured Americans have access to affordable health coverage, and lower premiums for middle-class families and small businesses.” (Senator Sherrod Brown, “Sen. Brown Statement On House Passage Of Health Reform Bill,” Press Release, 3/22/10)
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)
