[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S3234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               OBAMACARE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am so happy to have my friend talk about 
ObamaCare. I am happy to have him talk about that because he is making 
himself not look very good, and that is a gross understatement. 
Yesterday the Commonwealth Fund released its fourth survey of 
ObamaCare. Here is what they found: Since the enactment of the 
Affordable Care Act, 28 million people have gained coverage either 
through marketplaces or Medicaid. In the last 3 years, the number of 
uninsured Americans have been reduced by 13 million people. Those are 
13 million more people who have insurance now than they had 3 years 
ago, and 82 percent of American adults enrolled in private plans or 
government coverage said they were satisfied with their plans.
  Those numbers are further evidence the Affordable Care Act is helping 
the American people. It is getting people insured, many for the first 
time in their lives. Yesterday a woman came to me and said: Thank 
goodness. I--a diabetic--have been able to buy insurance because of 
ObamaCare.
  It is giving families important subsidies so they can afford the plan 
they need, and it is providing options, allowing Americans to cater 
their health insurance plans to their needs. Much has been made 
recently about premiums. My friend has made a big deal about premiums, 
especially by Republicans looking for any opening to spread 
misinformation, falsehoods. They love to come and talk about ObamaCare, 
how horrible it is for the American people. Allow me to set the record 
straight again. At this point, we are all looking at proposed 
increases. This, of course, is preliminary information.
  Let's consider Arkansas as an example. I picked Arkansas because one 
of the Senators from Arkansas is usually presiding, and I want him to 
hear this. Three out of the four companies that offer policies on 
Arkansas' health insurance marketplace proposed high premium increases 
for their enrollees. All of these increases were hikes of at least 10 
percent. Fortunately, for the people of Arkansas, the Affordable Care 
Act helps. For starters, the vast majority of enrollees in Arkansas are 
protected from premium increases. Why? Because ObamaCare tax credits 
actually cap health insurance premiums for 85 percent of consumers. In 
Arkansas, 87 percent of consumers receive tax credits that help make 
coverage affordable; 62 percent of Arkansas enrollees had the option to 
select plans as low as $75 per month after tax credits. There are other 
ObamaCare provisions that safeguard against these rates that are out of 
line. Thanks to a provision within the law, State leaders have the 
resources to conduct a thorough review of the proposed rate increases. 
In Arkansas' case, the State received $9.2 million to study proposed 
premium increases. Now it is up to Arkansas' Governor and insurance 
commissioner to do the job and examine their rate proposals. State 
leaders have until August 23 to approve final rates for the 2017 
exchange plans.
  The Arkansas insurance commissioner, Allen Kerr, already made it 
clear that he and the Governor are opposed to the hikes. Governor 
Hutchinson is a well known, fine man. I served with his brother and him 
in Congress. His brother was in the Senate.

  Allen Kerr said:

       Governor Hutchinson and I do not believe there is 
     substantive justification for these rate increases. For that 
     reason, we expect to take action to deny the requested rate 
     increases until there is sufficient justification to properly 
     consider any rate increase.

  Before we passed the Affordable Care Act, Americans in the individual 
insurance market were hit with double-digit health premium increases 
every year without any exception. Back then, if the insurance company 
said you need to pay more, you either paid up or lost your insurance. 
Consumers had no recourse. And they were charged more because they had 
an illness the previous year. They were charged more for all kinds of 
reasons. And insurance companies could deny covering certain conditions 
all together--one is if you were a woman.
  Now that Americans have ObamaCare in their corner, insurers can no 
longer charge more because you are sick or deny coverage to someone who 
has a certain illness. All conditions are covered, period. When 
insurance companies want premium increases, States have resources to 
fight back just like Arkansas, and when consumers decide that a plan is 
no longer working, they can--and should--shop around. In fact, everyone 
should do all they can to ensure that they are getting the best deal 
possible. That is what these marketplaces are for--to give the American 
people options.
  The Republican leader should be embarrassed by what he said this 
morning. For all this misinformation said on the Senate floor almost 
every day, the truth can't be hidden: The Affordable Care Act is 
keeping Americans insured and providing them options to find health 
coverage that meets their needs.
  I say to my friend the Republican leader, that is why today America 
has the lowest uninsured rate in the history of the country. The 
uninsured rate is at 9.1 percent. That is the lowest rate ever. The 
facts are undeniable. The Affordable Care Act is working.
  Will the Chair announce the business of the day.

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