As Republicans work to secretly dismantle and replace the Affordable Care Act with something that will hurt millions of Americans, health care premiums in at least one swing state are going through the roof.
According to The Hill, Iowa health premiums are set to spike by an average of 43.5 percent in 2018 – a massive increase due to the uncertainly being created by Donald Trump and Republicans, who continue to undercut Obamacare instead of make it better.
From the report:
Because of the uncertainty surrounding ObamaCare, Medica (one of the last Obamacare insurers in Iowa) will ask for 43.5 percent increases in its premiums, however.
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“Rate increases of 43 percent are not sustainable long-term,” Bartsh said.
“We know this will impact people who do not currently receive a subsidy particularly hard. The bottom line is that the individual market still needs reform. We will continue to work with federal and state officials to provide the certainty and stability needed for markets to succeed long-term.”
Insurers all over the country have asked for double-digit rate increases for next year because the Trump administration has yet to provide clarity on whether it will continue ObamaCare insurer payments known as cost sharing reduction subsidies.
While Republicans blame the Affordable Care Act for this type of increase, it’s becoming abundantly clear that insurers are reacting to the Trump administration’s effort to undercut the law.
In other words, Obamacare isn’t the problem as much as it is Republican efforts to undermine the law – all because they believe they will score political points with their base.
This despite the fact that millions of Americans will suffer under the GOP health care plan, which promises to eliminate essential health benefits and strip health insurance from more than 20 million people.
For now, though, Trump and the GOP are inflicting damage without even enacting a piece of legislation.
Not only are insurers unclear on what’s going to happen with the Affordable Care Act – which has provided health insurance and other benefits to millions of Americans – but they also have no clue what the Republicans will have in their final plan.
The vast majority of the American people want to see stability in the health care system by strengthening the Affordable Care Act. What Trump and Republicans have decided to do is cripple the current system while they secretly craft their own disastrous health care plan.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
