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Collins critical of health insurance rate increase, fewer plan choices

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today released the following statement after reports found that premiums for Obamacare’s benchmark plans are set to increase by an average of 25 percent. Additionally, consumers' coverage choices will be drastically reduced in many areas.

“The implosion of this failed law was to be expected,” Collins said. “Congressional Democrats and President Obama forced this program into law, despite knowing full and well that the initial rates were artificially low and unsustainable for insurers. Families must now either find 25 percent more income to pay for these increased premiums or opt for significantly reduced health coverage for their loved ones.

“Unfortunately, this latest price increase is another slap in the face to hardworking New Yorkers that Obamacare has failed time and again. Last year, more than 200,000 New Yorkers were kicked off their health care plans after Health Republic overpromised benefits to its consumers, and left New York taxpayers with the double whammy of having to pay for the its $265 million in losses.”

Since passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, premiums and deductibles have increased substantially, the largest private health insurers in the nation have attempted to merge due to crippling losses, and more Americans are on taxpayer-funded Medicaid than ever before, according to Collins.

The collapse of CO-OPs across a variety of states has cost taxpayers more than $1.2 billion. Congressional Republicans have repeatedly proposed and voted to keep certain safeguards of the Affordable Care Act, while increasing plan flexibility and making insurance more affordable and accessible for all Americans.

Congressman Collins has been an outspoken advocate against this failed healthcare program since being elected to Congress. He currently serves on the Health Subcommittee for the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over many aspects of Obamacare and has continuously worked to replace this flawed law.

Jim Urtel Jr

Obamacare is the biggest blunder of his presidency by far! I see the hurt it has caused so many people every day at dialysis. Less coverage, higher premiums and co-pays have crippled many of them. I was at the dentist the other day and every person who came in was complaining about their insurance not covering things anymore and their co-pays had gone up. You won`t feel it so much until you get a bad illness and then, I don`t care how much you have, you will go through it fast! If Hillary gets elected, she supports this travesty and this country`s healthcare system will not survive another 4 years. This should be evryone`s #1 concern in this election!!!

Oct 25, 2016, 3:42pm Permalink
david spaulding

c&p...Republicans have repeatedly proposed and voted to keep certain safeguards of the Affordable Care Act, while increasing plan flexibility and making insurance more affordable and accessible for all Americans........
..........ok so why the out of control premiums ?

Oct 25, 2016, 5:41pm Permalink
James Burns

" I was at the dentist the other day and every person who came in was complaining about their insurance not covering things anymore and their co-pays had gone up."

Right, and that is what universal healthcare was supposed to fix, but it is a half assed policy. It did not go far enough. We should redo it and do it right, but that cannot be done with the left and the right being obstructionists.

Oct 25, 2016, 6:50pm Permalink
Dave Meyer

The primary reason that the ACA ended up being 'half assed' is because while Obama was determined to bring the US into the 21st century with respect to universal healthcare. Let's face it, the US was the only developed country in the world without some form of universal healthcare.
Because of the obstructionism that you mentioned what ended up was compromised by Mitch McConnell et al. McConnell said on day one of Obama's presidency that it was going to be the job of the republicans to obstruct EVERYTHING that Obama proposed. It's probably a miracle that *anything* got passed.
I'll admit that the ACA has problems, but they are things that can be fixed. The problems can't be fixed, however, when a republican obstructionist like Collins is involved at all. All he does is kowtow to the republican leadership who says NO to everything the Democrats propose.
It'll never happen, but I'd like to see EVERY seat in Congress and the NYS Legislature flipped. Maybe then we would have some people who could work together. As idiot trump says, "what have you got to lose"?

Oct 26, 2016, 8:44am Permalink
Randy Smart

The ACA is failing because it was rushed through, without careful planning, foresight or bi-partisan effort. The Democrats wanted a lasting legacy and instead of taking the time to do it right, they pushed it through because they could. Now they are having to face to consequences of their actions. The Republicans knew that the Bill was full of problems and issues, which is why they didn't support it and have tried to repeal it. When building a house, you don't jump in and start hammering one board to another--a lot of work, preparation and planning is required to ensure that they house will be sturdy, stable and last.

http://www.briansussman.com/politics/how-obamacare-became-law/

Oct 26, 2016, 9:25am Permalink
John Roach

Dave, McConnell had nothing to do with the ACA, so tell the truth. The ACA was passed by Democrats when they had total control of Congress. Not one Republican voted for it, no one.

It's true McConnell said he was out to stop Obama, but he had no say at all on the ACA. And if you want to see what government run health care is like, go to the VA in many places, but be prepared to have to wait a month or more for care and maybe die while waiting (we are lucky in Batavia, our VA is one of the few good ones).

Oct 26, 2016, 10:01am Permalink
Rich Richmond

There were 20,000 pages in Obamacare in 2013. Nobody knows how many there are now. In 2009 and 2010, Democrats controlled the White House, the House, and the Senate. President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rammed Obamacare through without a single Republican vote. The U.S. Senate voted 60 to 39. The U.S. House voted 219 to 212 for Obamacare; 34 House Democrats and all of the House Republicans voted against Obamacare.

Oct 26, 2016, 9:21pm Permalink

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