Former Obama Budget Director Says Dem Healthcare Takeover Could Drop Coverage & Raise Premiums

July 7, 2011

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Jerry Costello (IL-12), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), David Wu (OR-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

Former Obama Budget Director Says Kissell’s Healthcare Takeover Could Drop Coverage & Raise Premiums
North Carolina Democrat Still Stands by Unpopular Law as More Devastating Consequences are Revealed

Washington — Although Larry Kissell still stands by the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare, even former Democrat leaders who championed the flawed legislation are finding devastating consequences in the complicated law. President Obama’s former Budget Director Peter Orszag now writes that there is “legitimate concern” Kissell’s takeover could force employers to completely drop high-risk patients and drive healthcare costs up for everyone to “unsustainable” levels. Is Kissell willing to continue defending his government takeover as more grave consequences for our healthcare system and economic recovery are revealed?

“Although Larry Kissell stubbornly defended the Democrat takeover of healthcare earlier this year, his job continues to become more difficult as the complicated law unravels and reveals new consequences,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Now, even President Obama’s former budget director admits Kissell’s government takeover of healthcare could force businesses to drop coverage of high-risk individuals and force all North Carolina families’ healthcare premiums up to ‘unsustainable’ levels.”

President Obama’s former Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag is now voicing concerns that these consequences could be “defeating the purpose” of the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare:

“Although employers may not eliminate health-care plans en masse, they could start dropping high-risk workers by designing health plans that encourage these employees to purchase insurance on the exchanges. This is a legitimate concern. If employers altered their plans, this could create a spiral effect, in which those employees buying insurance on the exchanges would be disproportionately high-risk patients, raising premiums and defeating the purpose of risk sharing. The cost to the federal government of subsidizing coverage in the exchanges, in turn, could become unsustainable.” (Peter R. Orszag, “How Health Care Can Save or Sink America,” Foreign Affairs, July/August 2011)

Larry Kissell continues to defend the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare despite the increasing consequences being discovered by the same people who advocated for its passage. Now, even President Obama’s former Budget Director is admitting Kissell’s government takeover could force employers to drop insurance coverage and make healthcare more expensive for all North Carolina families.

Former Obama Budget Director Says Dem Healthcare Takeover Could Drop Coverage & Raise Premiums http://ow.ly/5yM3T #madeinwdc

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