ObamaCare Could Make 10.2 Million Americans Lose Their Coverage

May 2, 2012

New Reports Show Major Employers, Including Members of Obama’s Own Jobs Council, Now Say ObamaCare Will Be A Disaster for Workers’ Healthcare, Create Strong Incentives to Drop Coverage

A new report incorporating feedback from 71 of America’s largest employers offers the latest evidence that millions of Americans could lose their health coverage thanks to ObamaCare — contradicting one of the central promises Democrats made while ramming through their government healthcare takeover.
A report last week showed that even President Obama’s own Jobs Council expects ObamaCare to raise healthcare costs, increase uncertainty for job creators and jeopardize employees’ ability to keep the care they have.
As ObamaCare racks up one broken promise after another, it’s no surprise that the American people continue to reject the Democrats’ healthcare disaster and support its repeal.

A new report incorporating feedback from 71 of America’s largest employers offers the latest evidence that millions of Americans could lose their health coverage thanks to ObamaCare — contradicting one of the central promises Democrats made while ramming through their government healthcare takeover:

BROKEN PROMISES: OBAMA SAID IN 2009 THAT “IF YOU LIKE YOUR HEALTH CARE PLAN, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP YOUR HEALTHCARE PLAN. PERIOD.”: “And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.”(Mary Lu Carnavale, “Obama: ‘If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor’,”The Wall Street Journal, 6/15/2009)

10.2 MILLION EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS WOULD BE AFFECTED BY DROPPED COVERAGE: (“Broken Promise: Why ObamaCare Will Force Americans to Lose the Health Care Coverage They Have and Like,” House Committee on Ways & Means,5/1/2012)

84 PERCENT OF RESPONDING EMPLOYERS EXPECT HEALTHCARE COSTS WILL RISE FASTER AFTER OBAMACARE IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED: “Despite promises that the law would control health care costs, employers have overwhelmingly concluded increases in cost will accelerate in the years after the Democrats’ health care law is fully implemented. Alarmingly, 84 percent of responding employers expect their future health care costs will increase at rates that are greater than those they’ve experienced over the past five years. During this period, employers responded that their health insurance costs have increased 5.9 percent, on average, while they expect future health costs will grow 7.6 percent, on average.” (“Broken Promise: Why ObamaCare Will Force Americans to Lose the Health Care Coverage They Have and Like,”House Committee on Ways & Means, 5/1/2012)

A report last week showed that even President Obama’s own Jobs Council expects ObamaCare to raise healthcare costs, increase uncertainty for job creators and jeopardize employees’ ability to keep the care they have:

OBAMA’S OWN JOBS COUNCIL EXPECTS OBAMACARE’S MANDATES, TAXES AND FEES TO INCREASE HEALTHCARE COSTS: “Documents provided by members of the Council confirm that the mandates, taxes, and fees contained in PPACA will increase the cost of providing health care and insurance premiums. These corporations face a future of ‘potential indirect cost increase[s] through higher medical costs across all [the] U.S.’ due to fees on health insurers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and medical device manufacturers mandated by PPACA.” (“Higher Costs, More Confusion, Less Coverage: How the Health Care Law Affects Employer-Provided Health Care Coverage,”House Energy and Commerce Committee, April 2012)

HIGHER COSTS LIKELY TO HAVE A “DISPROPORTIONATELY NEGATIVE EFFECT ON AMERICA’S SENIORS”: “These higher costs are likely to have a disproportionately negative effect on America’s seniors.Several members of the President’s Council noted that cuts to Medicare and Medicare Advantage will lead to cost shifting and the likely elimination of certain plans that employers rely on for retiree coverage” (“Higher Costs, More Confusion, Less Coverage: How the Health Care Law Affects Employer-Provided Health Care Coverage,”House Energy and Commerce Committee, April 2012)

OBAMACARE’S SHEER SIZE IS CAUSING CRIPPLING UNCERTAINTY FOR EMPLOYERS: “PPACA’s size alone makes understanding the law and applying it difficult for even the largest companies. As one Council member observed, the law is nearly twice as long as Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Adding to the uncertainty, many of the most significant (and potentially costly) aspects of the law are not yet known – they must be developed and established through regulations. These regulations must be proposed, debated, finalized, and finally implemented. The complete process will take several years. The documents provided by members of the Council clearly show that this lengthy process creates uncertainty.” (“Higher Costs, More Confusion, Less Coverage: How the Health Care Law Affects Employer-Provided Health Care Coverage,”House Energy and Commerce Committee, April 2012)

As ObamaCare racks up one broken promise after another, it’s no surprise that the American people continue to reject the Democrats’ healthcare disaster and support its repeal:

KAISER HEALTH TRACKING: MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENTS WANT OBAMACARE OVERTURNED: “A growing number of Americans, 59 percent, believe the Supreme Court will find President Obama’s signature domestic accomplishment unconstitutional, and a majority of independents, 52 percent, would be happy if that happened.” (Conn Caroll, “Majority of Independents Want ObamaCare Overturned,” The Washington Examiner, 4/24/2012)

NEW CBS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL: 47% OPPOSE OBAMACARE, JUST 36% APPROVE: “In the latest poll, 47 percent said they oppose the law while 36 percent approve, with the rest having no opinion. The results are similar to previous surveys that have consistently found the law’s detractors outnumbering its supporters.” (Dalia Sussman, Helene Cooper, and Kate Phillips, “Most Americans Oppose Health Law, Poll Finds,” New York Times, 3/27/2012)

ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST POLL: 55% FAVOR REPEALING ENTIRE HEALTHCARE LAW, ONLY 37% OPPOSE: (Greg Holyk, “As Health Care Law’s Trial Approaches, Two-Thirds Say Ditch Individual Mandate,” ABC News, 3/19/2012)

TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS SAY THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD RULE THE MANDATE UNCONSTITUTIONAL: (Greg Holyk, “As Health Care Law’s Trial Approaches, Two-Thirds Say Ditch Individual Mandate,” ABC News, 3/19/2012)

AP POLL: OBAMACARE “STILL UNPOPULAR”: “The poll found that 35 percent of Americans support the health care law overhaul, while 47 percent oppose it. That’s about the same split as when it passed. Then, 39 percent supported it and 50 percent opposed it.” (“Poll: Obama’s Health Overhaul Still Unpopular, But Fewer Expect Own Care to Worsen,” Associated Press, 3/8/2012)

STUDY: OBAMACARE COST DEMOCRATS THE HOUSE: “A top Democrat acknowledged Thursday that President Obama’s health care bill hurt his party in 2010. And a new study suggests it cost the Democrats something pretty specific: their House majority…The study, by five professors from institutions across the country, looks at the health care bill alongside other contentious votes in the 111th Congress and determines that, more so than the stimulus or the cap-and-trade energy bill, it cost Democrats seats. In fact, they lost almost exactly the number of seats that decided the majority.” (Aaron Blake, “Study Shows Health Care Bill May Have Cost Democrats the House,” The Washington Post, 3/9/2012)

AND DEMS’ ATTEMPTS TO SELL OBAMACARE TO WOMEN ARE FAILING BADLY:

NEW POLL: 57% OF WOMEN BELIEVE OBAMACARE WILL INCREASE HEALTHCARE COSTS, ONLY 7% SAY IT WILL LOWER COSTS: (“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

56% OF WOMEN BELIEVE OBAMACARE WILL INCREASE THE DEFICIT, ONLY 7% BUY DEMOCRATS’ ABSURD CLAIM THAT IT WILL REDUCE THE DEFICIT:(“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

60% OF WOMEN THINK OBAMACARE WILL INCREASE TAXES; 4% THINK IT WILL LOWER TAXES: (“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

WOMEN SUPPORT REPEALING AND REPLACING OBAMACARE BY MARGIN OF 52% TO 37%: (“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

AND THE DEMOCRATS’ SPIN IS FAILING BADLY:

65% OF WOMEN SAY IT’S FALSE THAT OBAMCARE WILL LOWER PREMIUMS: (“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

63% OF WOMEN SAY IT’S FALSE THAT OBAMACARE “WILL LOWER COSTS FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT”:(“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

57% OF WOMEN SAY IT’S FALSE THAT OBAMACARE “WILL NOT REQUIRE CUTS IN MEDICARE”: (“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)

57% OF WOMEN SAY IT’S FALSE THAT OBAMACARE “WILL NOT LEAD TO A DOCTOR SHORTAGE, RATIONING, OR HARM THE QUALITY OF CARE”:(“Women’s Views on the Affordable Care Act,” YG Network, 3/20/2012)