Relief from the president’s failed government takeover of health care is finally on the way. This week, Congress will take the next step in the process of repealing Obamacare and providing a stable transition to a patient-centered health care system.
Still, there are those who prefer the failed status quo of dwindling choices and soaring costs and have chosen to deny the facts. Here are the numbers that explain how the status quo is creating hardship for working families and small business owners, and why Republicans are determined to change it:
22 percent. Instead of the lower health care costs they were promised, Americans have seen double-digit premium increases. Obamacare exchange premiums grew by an average of 22 percent in 2017, and in many states, costs have skyrocketed. Arizonans were hit the hardest with a whopping 116 percent increase.
#1. Out of 75 issues, small business owners ranked the cost of health insurance as the number one problem they faced in 2016. Since Obamacare was enacted, it’s been increasingly difficult for small business owners to offer health insurance for their employees. As of 2015, only 29 percent of small business owners offered health coverage — down from 39 percent in 2010.
4.7 million. That’s the estimated number of Americans who were kicked off their health care plans after being promised “If you like your plan, you can keep it.” Now, the same Democrats who repeatedly told the “lie of the year” are rallying to defend a failed law and prevent working families from receiving the relief they need.
1 out of 5. Insurers have exited failed Obamacare exchanges in droves, and families have been left with fewer choices. One out of five people using the federal marketplace have access to only one insurer this year. As Speaker Ryan said, “That’s a monopoly — it’s not a choice.”
800,000. That’s how many Americans were forced to find new coverage after nearly 75 percent of state-run Obamacare co-ops collapsed. Taxpayers were also forced to pick up the $1.8 billion bill for the 17 co-ops that failed due to financial problems.
60 percent. On top of higher premiums, we’ve seen even higher deductibles. Since 2010, workers enrolled in employee-only employer-sponsored plans have seen their deductibles increase by an average of 60 percent because Obamacare has failed to control costs. In other words, many Americans are now paying more for less.
2 million. At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to find full-time work, Obamacare is making matters even worse. The Congressional Budget Office projected that Obamacare will reduce the labor force by two million full-time jobs in 2025.
$1 trillion. Obamacare imposed a $1 trillion tax increase on the American people. That’s a hefty price to pay for a law that has created this much havoc in the lives of working families and small business owners. It’s no wonder economic growth and job creation continue to lag behind.
These are more than just statistics. Behind each of these numbers, there are families struggling to get by, workers searching for good-paying jobs, and small businesses trying to keep their doors open and provide for their employees.
The facts speak for themselves: Obamacare has failed the American people, and it’s time to deliver the relief they need. Soon, Americans will have A Better Way to access the quality, affordable health care they deserve.
