Repeal and Replace Obamacare

America First Policies believes Obamacare is a disaster, burdening our country with rising premiums, unaffordable deductibles, fewer insurance choices, and higher taxes. Congress needs to repeal and replace this law, including rescinding the individual mandate and eliminating taxes that drive up costs, in order to restore our broken healthcare system and provide relief to millions of Americans across the country. 

The Facts:

• Average annual premiums are up 105% since 2013. They have increased by $2,928 since 2013 — $244 more per month.
• From August 2016 to April 2017, 46% of people who canceled coverage purchased through Healthcare.gov before paying their premium blamed cost as the reason for cancellation.
• In 2016, 83 insurers left the Obamacare marketplace, and projections showed Americans would have even fewer choices in 2017. 
• One-third of all U.S. counties will have only a single insurer in 2017. Forty-seven counties are projected to have no insurers in 2018 under Obamacare, and 1,200 could have only one.

Background:

“HHS Report: Average Health Insurance Premiums Doubled Since 2013,” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, May 23, 2017, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2017/05/23/hhs-report-average-health-insurance-premiums-doubled-2013.html

Edmund Haislmaier, “Insurer ACA Exchange Participation Declines in 2016,” Heritage Foundation, March 14, 2016, http://www.heritage.org/health-care-reform/report/insurer-aca-exchange-participation-declines-2016

“Preliminary Data on Insurer Exits and Entrants in 2017 Affordable Care Act Marketplaces,” Kaiser Family Foundation, August 28, 2016, http://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/preliminary-data-on-insurer-exits-and-entrants-in-2017-affordable-care-act-marketplaces/

“New E&C Report Sounds Alarm Over Obamacare Exchange Stability,” U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Press Release, September 13, 2016, https://energycommerce.house.gov/news-center/press-releases/new-ec-report-sounds-alarm-over-obamacare-exchange-stability

“E&C Releases Compendium on Obamacare Oversight,” U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Press Release, March 6, 2017, https://energycommerce.house.gov/news-center/press-releases/ec-releases-compendium-obamacare-oversight

“Failure of the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance CO-Ops,” U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Majority Staff Report, March 10, 2016, Failure of the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance CO-OPs - Senate …

Read More:

Elizabeth Harrington, “Report: 300,000 Small Business Jobs Lost Due to Obamacare,” Washington Free Beacon, January 18, 2017, http://freebeacon.com/issues/report-jobs-lost-obamacare/

“What happens when the only health insurer exits?” CBS News, March 6, 2017, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-happens-when-the-only-health-insurer-exits/

Secretary Tom Price, “Obamacare is on the 'verge of collapse.’ It's time for Congress to pass health-care reform,” CNBC, May 3, 2017, http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/03/op-ed-now-is-the-time-to-act-on-health-care-hhs-secretary-tom-price.html

Brittany De Lea, “Aetna to Completely Pull Out of ObamaCare Exchanges by 2018,” Fox Business Network, May 10, 2017, http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/05/10/aetna-to-completely-pull-out-obamacare-exchanges-by-2018.html

Barnini Chakraborty, “Anthem Pulls Out of ObamaCare Exchanges in Midwest, Fueling GOP Repeal Push,” Fox News Channel, June 21, 2017, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/06/21/anthem-pulls-out-obamacare-exchanges-in-midwest-fueling-gop-repeal-push.html