Budget Committee Dems Green-Light Higher Health Insurance Costs
FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: Tim Bishop (NY-01); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Gerry Connolly (VA-11); Rick Larsen (WA-02); John Spratt (SC-05); Niki Tsongas (MA-05); and John Yarmuth (KY-03).
John Spratt Green-Lights Higher Health Insurance Costs
Healthcare Overhaul Will Drive Up Premiums
Washington- Flying in the face of public opinion, John Spratt gave the green light for higher healthcare costs minutes ago by refusing to support a measure in the House Budget Committee calling on Democrats to halt their healthcare takeover if it raises health insurance premiums (see vote here). Rather than standing up for South Carolina families by opposing higher premiums, Spratt maintained the status quo on his party’s unpopular partisan agenda. The Democrats’ healthcare overhaul will lead to reduced competition and consumer options, which, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, could drive up insurance premiums by 10 to 13 percent.
“CBO and JCT estimate that the average premium per person covered (including dependents) for new nongroup policies would be about 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the average premium for nongroup coverage in that same year under current law.” (“An Analysis of Health Insurance Premiums Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” Congressional Budget Office, 11/30/2010)
According to the Wall Street Journal, federally regulated health insurance does not lead to lower premiums:
“Federal regulation of health insurance premiums makes little sense. Most states already have the power to review and reduce premiums. It hasn’t done them much good. Massachusetts, which already has the essence of ObamaCare—no restrictions on pre-existing conditions, an individual mandate, and huge taxpayer subsidies—has the highest premiums in the nation.” (John Calfee, “Obama’s Misleading Assault on the Insurance Industry,” Wall Street Journal, 3/12/2010)
“Despite what Democrats like John Spratt would lead South Carolina families to believe, their healthcare takeover will result in significantly higher costs,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “With the worst economy since the Great Depression, South Carolina families are already burdened with a mountain of debt piled up from the Democrats’ big-spending, big-government policies. Once again, Spratt has taken the path of his party leaders and turned his back on fiscal responsibility.”
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