Obamacare Turns Two - What Have We Learned?

On the second anniversary of Obamacare, the RNC has released a little video.



Remember when then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said they had to pass the bill so we could find out what was in it? Turns out they did pass it and we don't like it much at all. The vast majority of Americans are not so happy about it, the more they learn. Most agree that the passage of Obamacare was directly responsible for the historic Republican victories in Congress in the 2010 elections. Even in deep blue Massachusetts, Republican Scott Brown won the sacred "Ted Kennedy" seat in the U.S. Senate. Now that was historic.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 56% at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, including 46% who Strongly Favor it. Thirty-nine percent (39%) oppose repeal, with 29% who are Strongly Opposed.

From the office of Speaker Boehner:

Here are just a few of the broken ObamaCare promises that have come to light recently:
Denying Access for Seniors with the ObamaCare Rationing Board. Today, the White House is reportedly focusing its PR campaign on American seniors – an effort made necessary by the broad, bipartisan criticism of ObamaCare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). IPAB gives a panel of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats the unchecked authority to deny care for seniors, a provision in the health care law that a coalition representing more than 350,000 doctors says “will ultimately threaten the ability of our nation’s seniors and disabled to obtain the health care they need, when they need it.” Republican legislation repealing the rationing board, the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act (H.R. 452), has already garnered bipartisan support in three House committee votes. The full House is expected to vote on H.R. 452 this week, “putting pressure on the Senate to follow suit” as more members of the president’s own party consider lining up in support of the bill over the White House’s objections.

Making It Harder for Small Businesses to Hire. At a recent field hearing, one small business employee said the uncertainty created by ObamaCare “is part of the reason that we are using temporary services … rather than adding additional employees.” Her testimony is backed by a recent Gallup survey that found that, amongst the 85 percent of small businesses that aren’t hiring, “nearly half…point to potential healthcare costs (48%) and government regulations (46%)” as the reasons they are unable to put more Americans back to work.

Jeopardizing Health Care for Up to 20 Million Americans. One of the central promises President Obama made time and again during his campaign to pass ObamaCare was that “if you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan.” Not so, says the Congressional Budget Office. According to a report released by the non-partisan Congressional budget scorekeeper last week, “as many as 20 million Americans could lose their employer-provided coverage because of President Obama’s healthcare reform law,” The Hill reports.

Adding More Than $1 Trillion to the Law’s Cost. The CBO had even more bad news for ObamaCare last week, revealing in a separate report the “shocking new sticker price of $1.8 trillion” for the government takeover of health care, according to the House Energy & Commerce Committee. The House Ways & Means Committee adds that “once the Medicaid expansion and exchange subsidies are fully in place, the Democrats’ health care law is certain to top more than $2 trillion.”

Hiking Up Premiums on American Workers & Families. Under the headline “Health Insurance Costs More, Covers Less, Survey Says,” the Huffington Post reports on a recent Towers Watson survey that found “the average amount employees paid for health insurance through work rose 9.3 percent to $2,764 in 2012, a 40 percent increase from 2007.” “The new survey says more firms also are charging extra for workers’ spouses and children, restricting access to the most expensive prescription drugs, and offering choices from fewer insurance companies,” according to the Huffington Post. Another survey released last week suggests there’s more bad news ahead for American families, as health insurance premiums are expected to “surpass the median U.S. household income in 2033.” (U.S. News & World Report, 3/12/12)

Undermining the Constitution with the Widely-Unpopular Individual Mandate. A new ABC News/Washington Post survey out today finds that “two-thirds of Americans say the U.S. Supreme Court should throw out either the individual mandate in the federal health care law or the law in its entirety, signaling the depth of public disagreement with that element of the Affordable Care Act.” The individual mandate – the “linchpin” of Democrats’ government takeover of health care – is considered unconstitutional by an overwhelming majority (72 percent) of Americans, according to a Gallup survey released last month.

This week, the House will vote to repeal the ObamaCare rationing board – the 26th vote taken as part of the sustained Republican effort to repeal, defund and dismantle the law in its entirety. Republicans made a Pledge to America to protect families and small businesses from the disastrous impact of the government takeover of health care, and will continue the unyielding effort to do so. Follow our progress by “liking” the Pledge to America on Facebook. Facebook.com/pledgetoamerica.