Since Obamacare was signed into law in March 2010, our nation’s Washington-knows-best health care system has continued to hurt more Americans than it has helped. From dwindling choices to skyrocketing costs, for over six years we have seen one Obamacare failure after the next. Here is a look at how national news outlets have captured the failure this year alone:
New York Times: “A central tenet of the federal health law was to offer a range of affordable health plans through competition among private insurers. But a wave of insurer failures and the recent decision by several of the largest companies, including Aetna, to exit markets are leaving large portions of the country with functional monopolies for next year.” – Obamacare options? In many parts of country, only one insurer will remain, August 19, 2016
Wall Street Journal: “Under intense pressure to curb costs that have led to losses on the Affordable Care Act exchanges, insurers are accelerating their move toward plans that offer limited choices of doctors and hospitals.” – Insurers move to limit options in health-care exchange plans, August 31, 2016
Washington Post: “The steep increase in rates serves broadly to confirm what has become evident piecemeal in recent months: Prompted by a burden of unexpectedly sick Affordable Care Act customers, some insurers are dropping out while many remaining companies are struggling to cover their costs.” – Average premiums for popular ACA plans rising 25 percent, October 24, 2016
USA Today: “As open enrollment starts Tuesday on the Affordable Care Act exchanges, consumers in some parts of the country are bracing for huge rate hikes, while many others are preparing to change insurers and likely doctors.” – Rate hikes, new doctors: Obamacare exchanges open to angst, November 1, 2016
As local news headlines highlight, these failures are affecting families across the entire country. In 2016 alone, here’s how Obamacare has hurt people in Ways and Means Committee Members’ home states:
JANUARY
New York: $200 million tax hike possible after health co-op collapse, Albany Times Union, January 6, 2016
Oregon: State forces tight controls on Moda, citing insurer’s weakened financial condition, The Oregonian, January 28, 2016
FEBRUARY
North Carolina: Thousands in NC may be forced to find new health insurance, WSOC Charlotte, February 15, 2016
MARCH
California: Some Blue Shield, Kaiser members get faulty Obamacare tax forms, San Francisco Chronicle, March 25, 2016
APRIL
Texas: UnitedHealth pulling exchange plans from Texas, Houston Chronicle, April 19, 2016
MAY
Indiana: UnitedHealth to exit Indiana next year for Obamacare policies, Indianapolis Business Journal, May 16, 2016
Massachusetts: Thousands of small business employees to see double-digit health insurance increases, Boston Business Journal, May 23, 2016
Ohio: Ohio shutting down state’s Obamacare nonprofit co-op InHealth – claims paced $3M per week, Columbus Business First, May 26, 2016
JUNE
Wisconsin: UnitedHealth confirms exit from Wisconsin Obamacare market, Milwaukee Business Journal, June 2, 2016
Louisiana: Louisiana insurers among those seeking Obamacare rate hikes, The Times-Picayune, June 6, 2016
JULY
Connecticut: Nonprofit Obamacare insurer in Connecticut going out of business, Hartford Courant, July 5, 2016
Illinois: Illinois moves to shut down failing health insurance co-op, Chicago Sun-Times, July 12, 2016
AUGUST
Georgia: Obamacare insurance to jump by double digits in Georgia next year, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 24, 2016
SEPTEMBER
Florida: Florida’s Obamacare premiums to rise average 19 percent in 2017, state says, Miami Herald, September 2, 2016
Minnesota: Minnesota health insurers propose big premium hikes for individual plans, Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 2, 2016
New Jersey: Another N.J. insurance company drops out of Obamacare, NJ.com, September 12, 2016
Nebraska: With Blue Cross’ exit, Nebraskans can expect even higher health premiums through Obamacare, Omaha World-Herald, September 27, 2016
Tennessee: BCBST’s exit from 3 Obamacare markets sends shock waves, The Tennessean, September 27, 2016
OCTOBER
South Carolina: Lone firm to sell Obamacare in S.C. BlueCross BlueShield to be last option next year as cost of health plans soars, The Post and Courier, October 3, 2016
Michigan: Obamacare rates to jump 16.7% in Michigan despite state scrutiny, Detroit Free Press, October 17, 2016
Pennsylvania: Without Aetna and United Healthcare, Philly area faces hefty increases for Affordable Care Act rates, Philadelphia Inquirer, October 17, 2016
Kansas: Health insurance rates continue upward trend, The Wichita Eagle, October 21, 2016
Washington: Washington health insurers approved for rate hikes as high as 25 percent for 2017, Puget Sound Business Journal, October 26, 2016
Missouri: Affordable Care Act health insurance will be costlier in KC area in 2017, The Kansas City Star, October 31, 2016
NOVEMBER
South Dakota: South Dakotans brace for higher ACA premiums, Argus Leader, November 4, 2016
CLICK HERE to read What Ways and Means Republicans are Saying About Obamacare’s Premium Increases
CLICK HERE to read Record High Heat, More and More Obamacare Meltdowns
CLICK HERE to read Three Years In, Obamacare Exchanges Near Collapse