The New York Times is reporting that Senate Democrats are gearing up to pass even more health care legislation intended “fix” their new Obamacare law, one bill in particular that will be aimed at government price “fixing” for health insurance.
Democrats are just now figuring out what Republicans, Independents, Tea Partiers, GOP members of Congress, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and what the chief actuary at the Obama administration’s own Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have been telling them all along: Obamacare will cause costs to rise.
Perhaps they should have read the bill before passing it?
Rep. Dave Camp, top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, told HUMAN EVENTS today that Democrats are way behind the learning curve.
“Americans knew this bill would increase their costs,” Camp said. “The Congressional Budget Office said it. The Medicare actuaries said it. And, now, Democrats are finally admitting their government takeover of health care will cause premiums to go up even more than had Congress done nothing.”
According to the non-partisan CBO, under Obamacare, health insurance premiums were projected to rise by an average $13,100 per family if no bill had passed at all and by $15,200 under the Democrats’ new Obamacare law. That’s an increase of $2,100.
Obamacare spends over a trillion dollars, increasing taxes by a half-trillion dollars, cutting Medicare by a half-trillion and does not make coverage more affordable.
The CBO repeatedly warned Democrats that Obamacare would increase premiums:
CBO Letter to Senator Bayh November 30, 2009 (.pdf)
CBO Letter to Chairman Rangel November 2, 2009 (.pfd)
CBO Letter to Republican Leader Boehner November 4, 2009 (.pdf)
According to the Times report, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is prepping new regulations that would give the secretary of Health and Human Services the power to block health insurance rate increases.
If there was ever any doubt about the Democrats’ intention to run the private health insurance industry out of business resulting in the single-payer, government-run health care system Democrats desire, this should dissuade any thinking person of that notion.
On a happy note, Camp is firmly on board to repeal Obamacare.
“We need to repeal this bill and replace it with common sense reforms that actually lower health care premiums,” Camp said.
You can follow the House Ways & Means Republicans here on Twitter.
