Cortez Masto doubled down on her support for the Obamacare debacle, which has led to cancelled plans and higher rates in Nevada. She echoed her comments from September when, after five months as a candidate, she finally announced her position on one of her party’s key policy items.
- "‘It’s good law. We have more people that have insurance because of it. Is it perfect? No,’ she said. ‘So where there are problems with it, and how we can fix it, and move it and improve it for everyone, that’s where it starts for me. That’s the starting point.’” (Jeff Gillan, “Cortez Masto Talks Bipartisanship, Issues In Race For Reid’s Seat,” KSNV, 2/26/16)
As a reminder, that ‘good law’ has been called a ‘full failure’ and ‘outright catastrophe in Nevada:
- “As supporters of the federal health care reforms push for final signups, a handful of states are trying to press the reset button…Overseers of Nevada Health Link have called that state’s program a ‘full failure’ and a ‘catastrophe.’…Last month Nevada officials cut their target enrollment from 118,000 to 50,000 and conceded that meeting even the lower goal would be a challenge.” (“Nevada’s Obamacare Program Called ‘Full Failure,’ ‘Catastrophe,’” Associated Press, 3/25/14)
And last summer, just before Cortez Masto finally announced her support for Obamacare, Nevada’s only local insurer failed due to the massive burdens created by the law:
- “Nevada’s health insurance exchange is losing its only locally based carrier. Nevada Health CO-OP, a nonprofit insurer created by the Affordable Care Act and federally funded to offer health coverage through the Nevada Health Link marketplace, said Wednesday that it cannot make enough money to stay in business after Jan. 1…Observers say the co-op, as idealistic as its origins were, could not survive market realities amid early troubles with doctor networks, reimbursements, off-exchange coverage and administrative costs. The co-op’s failure is something of a blow to the state’s competitive landscape, and it’s unclear if it can repay $65.9 million in federal loans it received for its 2012 launch.” (Jennifer Robison, “Millions In The Red, A Nevada Obamacare Insurer Has Failed,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 8/26/15)
That was followed by news that Nevadans who were able to keep their plans would see premium increases in 2016:
- "The Nevada Division of Insurance said Wednesday that it has approved 2016 health insurance rates for individual and small-group coverage. For small businesses and their employees, premiums will rise an average of 5 percent, the division said. Consumers who buy a plan through the state’s Nevada Health Link insurance exchange will see an average premium gain of 8.7 percent." (Jennifer Robison, “Nevadans To See Premium Increases In 2016 Health Insurance Rates,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 9/2/15)
Canceled insurance plans. Devastating rate hikes. ‘Full failure’ and ‘catastrophe.’ What does Catherine Cortez Masto call that? ‘Good law.’
Nevadans can’t afford to find out what other ‘good laws’ Cortez Masto has in store for them.