The instincts of average citizens are often far more accurate than bureaucratic rhetoric, and public opinion of Obamacare is a textbook example of the wisdom of the American people.
From the law’s inception, President Obama and his administration promised that the health care plan would provide lower premiums and health care costs for consumers. Soon after Obamacare’s implementation began, the fulfillment of this promise became less and less realistic.
In August, Rasmussen Reports released a study finding that American voters “doubt more than ever” that President Obama’s Affordable Care Act will actually make their health care costs more affordable. The survey indicated that 59% of likely voters believed their health care costs would increase under Obamacare, while only 9% of voters expected their costs to decrease and only 24% expected their costs to remain the same.
A report released by the Obama administration last week confirmed the American peoples’ fear that their health care costs under Obamacare would increase dramatically.
According to the administration’s report, the average cost of health insurance under Obamacare will skyrocket by 22% next year. The reportalso indicated even worse news for consumers in those 39 states using the federal HealthCare.gov exchange, where premiums will soar by an average of 25% in 2017. In some states, however, the premium increases will be even higher. Arizona, for instance, will experience the highest increase in the country, with a 116% premium hike for a 27 year-old.
The news of rising premium costs comes as exchange consumers across the country are losing insurer choices. In states like Oklahoma, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Alabama, only one insurance company offers plans to consumers on the exchange. In fact, Obama administration officials have stated that 21% of federal exchange consumers around the nation would only have one insurance provider from which to pick their plan.
As choices decrease and prices surge, the American people have taken notice. Polls consistently show that a majority of Americans, or at least a plurality in some studies, disapprove of President Obama’s health care plan. The Real Clear Politics average of public approval for Obamacare currently stands at 48.8% disapproval and 39.2% approval. Even the Kaiser Family Foundation’s latest health tracking poll
These numbers represent the American people's realization that Obamacare is failing – or more importantly, failing them. Americans deserve a health care system where innovation and free enterprise ensure progress in the field of medicine and quality care for patients. Last week’s announcement from the Obama administration is simply a reminder that Obamacare’s promise of affordability and access has faded and that government’s overhaul of our health care system has hurt the very people it was designed to help.
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