Today’s release of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual employer health benefits study confirms that President Obama’s most often mentioned health care promises continue to go unfulfilled. More than two years after passage, health care premiums continue to increase and more than half of all workers have already lost the plan they had and liked.
Losing the Plan You Have and Like
“Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan…nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. (Applause.) Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.”
(President Obama before a Joint Session of Congress, September 9, 20009.)
“The share of workers in a grandfathered health plan decreased significantly from the previous year to 48% of covered workers.”
(Kaiser Family Foundation, Employer Health Benefits, 2012 Summary of Findings)
“In an Obama administration, we’ll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year.”
(Senator Barack Obama at a health care Town Hall in Bristol, Virginia Thursday, June 5, 2008)
“The average premium for single coverage ($5,429) is 3% higher and the average premium for family coverage ($15,073) is 4% higher” than last year’s report.
(Kaiser Family Foundation, Employer Health Benefits, 2012 Summary of Findings)
NOTE: The 2012 premium increases reported today are on top of 2011 premium increases of 8 percent for single coverage and 9 percent for family coverage. The Kaiser reports cites the 2012 increases are somewhat muted by the prolonged economic downturn that has resulted in decreased utilization.
Losing the Plan You Have and Like
Then:
“Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan…nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. (Applause.) Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.”
(President Obama before a Joint Session of Congress, September 9, 20009.)
Now:
“The share of workers in a grandfathered health plan decreased significantly from the previous year to 48% of covered workers.”
(Kaiser Family Foundation, Employer Health Benefits, 2012 Summary of Findings)
This means that because of ObamaCare’s mandates, more than half of workers and their families with health insurance have lost the plan they had prior to ObamaCare becoming law. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the Obama Administration’s own
analysis predicts that as many as two-in-three plans offered to American workers will be impacted, including nearly eight-in-ten plans offered to employees of small businesses.Paying More, Not Less
Then:
“In an Obama administration, we’ll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year.”
(Senator Barack Obama at a health care Town Hall in Bristol, Virginia Thursday, June 5, 2008)
Now:
“The average premium for single coverage ($5,429) is 3% higher and the average premium for family coverage ($15,073) is 4% higher” than last year’s report.
(Kaiser Family Foundation, Employer Health Benefits, 2012 Summary of Findings)
NOTE: The 2012 premium increases reported today are on top of 2011 premium increases of 8 percent for single coverage and 9 percent for family coverage. The Kaiser reports cites the 2012 increases are somewhat muted by the prolonged economic downturn that has resulted in decreased utilization.
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