Following the Obama Administration’s announcement that Obamacare premiums will increase by double digits next year, the Rubio campaign released the following statement:
“Patrick Murphy told Floridians that Obamacare would ‘help bring down costs,’ but the reality is that costs are skyrocketing. Yesterday, the Obama administration announced that premiums will go up by double digits, with some Floridians facing as much as a 65 percent increase. Despite all of the recent bad news, Murphy still wants to expand Obamacare. Murphy’s liberal policies don’t work, and Florida’s families can’t afford them.” – Michael Ahrens, Rubio spokesman
Yesterday, the Obama Administration announced that Obamacare premiums will increase by an average of 25 percent on the federal marketplace in 2017
Nationwide, Obamacare premiums will increase by an average of 25 percent on the federal marketplace in 2017. “Premiums will go up sharply next year under President Barack Obama’s health care law, and many consumers will be down to just one insurer, the administration confirmedMonday. That will stoke another ‘Obamacare’ controversy days before a presidential election. Before taxpayer-provided subsidies, premiums for a midlevel benchmark plan will increase an average of 25 percent across the 39 states served by the federally run online market, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Some states will see much bigger jumps, others less.” (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “Obama Administration Confirms Double-Digit Premium Hikes,” The Associated Press, 10/24/16)
Florida regulators approved premium increases by as much as 65 percent for individual Obamacare plans in 2017
Premiums for individual Obamacare plans in Florida will increase by an average of 19 percent in 2017, with some plans increasing by as much as 65 percent. “Premiums for individual Obamacare plans in Florida will rise by 19 percent on average next year, state regulators announced today. Florida exchange plans were approved for average rate changes ranging from a 6 percent decrease to a 65 percent increase.” (Rachana Pradhan, “Florida Approves 19 Percent Average Rate Hike For Obamacare Plans,”Politico Pro, 9/2/16)
For six of the seven insurers selling plans on the Obamacare exchange, regulators approved rate hikes higher than what the companies requested. “For six of seven insurers selling exchange plans, Florida regulators approved rate hikes that were higher than what the companies had requested.” (Rachana Pradhan, “Florida Approves 19 Percent Average Rate Hike For Obamacare Plans,” Politico Pro, 9/2/16)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida was approved for an average rate increase of 19 percent, while Molina premiums will rise by 17.4 percent. “Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida was approved for an average rate increase of 19 percent after requesting a 14.5 percent bump and Molina was given a 17.4 percent increase after asking initially for 10.6 percent.” (Rachana Pradhan, “Florida Approves 19 Percent Average Rate Hike For Obamacare Plans,” Politico Pro, 9/2/16)
- Humana rates will increase by 36.8 percent. “Humana was the only company to receive a lower rate increase than what the company initially asked for. The insurer had requested an average increase of 43.6 percent and was granted a 36.8 percent increase.” (Rachana Pradhan, “Florida Approves 19 Percent Average Rate Hike For Obamacare Plans,” Politico Pro, 9/2/16)
But Bloomberg reported earlier this month that 400,000 Floridians will lose their current Obamacare plan in 2017
Nationwide, at least 1.4 million people in 32 states will lose their current Obamacare plan in 2017, because insurers are exiting the Obamacare marketplace. “A growing number of people in Obamacare are finding out their health insurance plans will disappear from the program next year, forcing them to find new coverage even as options shrink and prices rise. At least 1.4 million people in 32 states will lose the Obamacare plan they have now, according to state officials contacted by Bloomberg. That’s largely caused by Aetna Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and some state or regional insurers quitting the law’s markets for individual coverage.” (Zachary Tracer, Tatiana Darie, Katherine Doherty, “More Than 1 Million In Obamacare To Lose Plans As Insurers Quit,” Bloomberg, 10/14/16)
Approximately 420,000 Floridians will lose their current Obamacare plan as insurers leave the marketplace. “As of May 9, approximately 420,000 enrollees in Florida are expected to lose their plans due to withdrawals in the individual exchange marketplace with additional enrollees losing coverage off-exchange, according to Karen Kees, a spokeswoman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.” (Amy Sherman, “Marco Rubio Misleads About Floridians Who Will ‘Lose’ Insurance Through Obamacare,”PolitiFact, 10/18/16)
But the latest headlines have been disastrous for both Obamacare and Florida’s families
The Miami Herald: “Obamacare health insurance premiums to rise 9.5 percent for 2016, state regulator reports.” “Health insurance premiums for Floridians who buy their own plans will rise 9.5 percent on average for 2016, though some consumers will pay less for their coverage than they did this year, state insurance regulators reported Wednesday. A total of 19 health insurance companies submitted rate filings to Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, which this year regained the authority to deny rate increases for health plans sold on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchange at HealthCare.gov. Average rate changes for 2016 plans sold on the ACA exchange will range from a decrease of nearly 10 percent for some plans, to an increase of as much as 16 percent for others.” (Daniel Chang, “Obamacare health insurance premiums to rise 9.5 percent for 2016, state regulator reports,” The Miami Herald, 8/26/16)
In August, Aetna announced it would stop selling individual Obamacare plans next year in 11 of the 15 states where it had been participating in the marketplace. “Health insurer Aetna Inc. will stop selling individual Obamacare plans next year in 11 of the 15 states where it had been participating in the program, joining other major insurers who’ve pulled out of the government-run markets in the face of mounting losses. … Here’s a full list of the states Aetna is exiting: Arizona; Kentucky; Pennsylvania; Florida; Missouri; South Carolina; Georgia; North Carolina; Texas; Illinois; Ohio.” (Zachary Tracer, “Aetna To Quit Most Obamacare Markets, Joining Major Rivals,” Bloomberg, 8/15/16)
Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and Humana’s announcements mean “fewer choices” and “higher premiums and/or lower benefits.” “Earlier this month, health care giant Aetna announced that it had lost more than four hundred million dollars on Obamacare policies since the Obamacareexchanges were set up, in 2014, and was going to pull out of most of them, including in Florida. That followed similar announcements made by United Healthcare and Humana. Which means fewer choices for those on the ACA. Lack of competition means higher premiums and/or lower benefits. A public option would be a federal option open to anyone on the individual market, and Murphy said he’d push for it if elected in November. Hillary Clinton has made similar comments on the campaign trail.” (Mitch Perry, “Patrick Murphy Says He’ll Push For Public Option To Be Added To ACA If Elected To The Senate,” Florida Politics, 8/29/16)
“The decision by Aetna is the latest blow to President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy law.” “The decision by Aetna is the latest blow to President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy law. While it has brought coverage to millions, the new markets have proven volatile for some of the largest for-profit insurers, and UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana Inc. are also pulling out, after posting hundreds of millions of dollars of their own losses. Aetna said earlier this year that it expects to lose $300 million on the plans.” (Zachary Tracer, “Aetna To Quit Most ObamacareMarkets, Joining Major Rivals,” Bloomberg, 8/15/16)
It “raises the prospect that some consumers will only have one insurer to choose from when they buy 2017 coverage.” “Next year will be the law’s fourth of providing coverage under the new markets. Aetna’s decision doesn’t affect people covered by the company this year, but when they look for 2017 coverage, they’ll need to pick a new insurer. The decision raises the prospect that some consumers will only have one insurer to choose from when they buy 2017 coverage.” (Zachary Tracer, “Aetna To Quit Most Obamacare Markets, Joining Major Rivals,” Bloomberg, 8/15/16)
Patrick Murphy actually wants to expand Obamacare by adding a public option
Patrick Murphy wants to expand Obamacare by adding a public option. “Patrick Murphy says if he is elected to the U.S. Senate in November, he’ll push to provide a public option to the Affordable Care Act. ‘At least in rural areas, where you don’t have much competition,’ the Jupiter Representative and Senate Democratic hopeful said on while making a campaign stop on Mondaymorning in West Tampa. He said that would be an added option for people on the ACA, ‘and beyond that, to make sure that there is competition ultimately.’” (Mitch Perry, “Patrick Murphy Says He’ll Push For Public Option To Be Added To ACA If Elected To The Senate,” Florida Politics, 8/29/16)
In 2012, Murphy promised that Obamacare would “create more competition and help bring down costs”
VIDEO: In 2012, Murphy said state exchanges would “help to bring down costs” by creating more competition, because “long term, it’s all about costs.” MURPHY: “There is no more lifetime caps and the part that I especially like, are the state exchanges that are created now. There is more openness, more transparency that in each state, whether you are a business or an individual, you can go buy your insurance, and see what exactly the plan offers. This will create more competition and help to bring down costs. Long term, it’s all about costs. It’s all about preventative treatments, getting people treated earlier and that is a big part of ObamaCare. That is a big part of the Affordable Care Act, is making sure people can go to the doctor, get their annual check-ups and identify diseases, whatever it is, diabetes, early on to make sure they prevent it becoming a much bigger problem.” (League of Women Voters’ Candidate Forum, 10/4/12)
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