[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 170 (Wednesday, November 18, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE UNAFFORDABILITY OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

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                           HON. GARRET GRAVES

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 18, 2015

  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the 
millions of Americans--including many in my home state of Louisiana--
who are being forced to bear the cost of president Obama's flawed 
healthcare law.
  The negative impacts of the so-called affordable care act have been 
felt by people of all walks of life. In many cases, the law has 
disproportionately hurt the very people it claimed it would help--
hardworking, middle-class families.
  Five years of Obamacare implementation has produced higher premiums, 
higher deductibles, higher co-payments and reduced access to care for 
those who need it most.
  In fact, a study published just last week revealed that increases in 
2016 premiums for health insurance coverage will once again be in the 
double digits, exceeding last year's double digit hikes. At least one 
state could see as much as a 130 percent rate hike next year.
  Across the board, the projected hikes for the lowest-priced options 
in each tier of coverage--bronze, silver, gold and platinum--will 
surpass the increases we saw last year.
  The median cost of the bronze plans, one of the most popular 
offerings because of its relatively low premiums, will rise by 13% in 
2016. As for the high-end insurance coverage options, gold's median 
premium will jump 15% and platinum's rate will rise by 12%.
  Mr. Speaker, these cost increases are simply unworkable for the 
majority of Americans. I'd like to share the situation of a constituent 
of mine who recently reached out to me, begging Congress to take action 
to fix this broken law.
  Unable to afford the $1200/month it would cost him to get the family 
plan through his employer, he turned to the exchange in search of a 
high deductible plan to provide health insurance for his wife and 
girls.
  He recently received a renewal notice in the mail informing him that 
his monthly bill will increase 21% in 2016. 21 percent. Despite the 
fact that he provides 95% of his household's income as his wife 
finishes school, he is above the income threshold to receive any 
subsidy to offset the cost.
  The first $11,000 of his pre-tax income will go toward government 
mandated health insurance in 2016--coverage that will still require him 
to pay a copay and coinsurance on a very high deductible to use it. His 
alternative is to pay the 2.5% fine and to have no coverage in the 
event of an emergency.
  Mr. Speaker, I am now going to ask you what this man asked me: what's 
his incentive to work harder? What's his reward for working since age 
15, for spending 6 years pursuing an advanced degree in college?
  All he can show for it is an irresponsible and unaccountable 
government that takes a larger portion of his income every year to pay 
for government programs that punish those who work hard and reward 
those who don't.
  It's time for the president to acknowledge that his signature 
legislation is fundamentally flawed. It's time we turn the page on 
Obamacare and provide better solutions. Americans deserve a healthcare 
system that drives efficiency through competition and places healthcare 
decisions in the hands of consumers and taxpayers--not the federal 
government.

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