[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 112 (Thursday, June 29, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3837-S3838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Healthcare Legislation

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, Senators and the White House are 
continuing discussions on the path forward for bringing relief from 
ObamaCare and its collapsing markets. We have made good progress, and 
we will keep working. As we do, our focus will remain on the major 
ObamaCare problems that continue to hurt Americans all across our 
country.
  Under ObamaCare, premiums have skyrocketed. Over the past several 
years, ObamaCare has caused premiums to climb by an average of 105 
percent in the vast majority of States on the Federal exchange, and it 
has caused them to triple in some States.
  Next year, ObamaCare is expected to raise premiums again, as high as 
30 percent or greater in States like Connecticut and Virginia, by as 
much as 40 percent or greater in Maine and Iowa, and by as much as an 
astonishing 80 percent in New Mexico. Obviously, Americans deserve a 
lot better than that.
  Under ObamaCare, choices have diminished, even disappeared, in States 
all across our country. ObamaCare has left 70 percent of counties with 
little or no insurance options on the exchanges this year. Even worse, 
next year, dozens more counties could have zero choice at all--
potentially leaving thousands trapped, forced by law to purchase 
ObamaCare insurance but left without the means to do so. For instance, 
as we learned just yesterday, as many as 14 of Nevada's 17 counties 
could now be left without any insurance options under ObamaCare at all 
in 2018. Americans deserve a lot better than that.
  Under ObamaCare, mandates have forced families into plans they don't 
want or can't afford, preferred doctors have become less accessible to 
many

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patients, and plans have grown less desirable but more extensive. 
Americans deserve better than that. That is why we are continuing to 
work hard. Fixing ObamaCare's failures and protecting families from its 
consequences is not an easy task.
  It is disappointing that our Democratic colleagues made clear early 
on that they were not interested in joining our efforts in a serious, 
comprehensive manner, especially given how many of their constituents 
have been hurt by the law they themselves voted for and continue--
continue--to defend. The Republican conference continues to work 
through solutions to help those who have been hurt by this failing 
system because, as we can all agree, ObamaCare's status quo is simply 
unsustainable and unacceptable. We have to act, and we are.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas.
  Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to complete my 
remarks before the vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.