[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3892-S3893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Healthcare Legislation

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, as the leader has very ably pointed out, 
the Democratic obstruction when it comes to President Trump's nominees 
is reaching an unprecedented level if you compare it to any past 
administration. He pointed out the number of nominees President Obama 
was able to get in and the way in which Republicans here in the Senate 
cooperated with him on his nominees. This state of affairs here in the 
Senate really is taking the obstructionism when it comes to trying to 
block even getting people into the administration, into their 
positions, to an entirely new level.
  Frankly, about the only thing that probably exceeds the pileup of 
President Trump's nominees who are not getting into his administration 
is the pileup of bad ObamaCare news stories. Just take a look at a few 
of the recent headlines.
  From the Cincinnati Enquirer: ``Another insurer leaves Ohio health 
care exchange.''
  From Bloomberg: ``Anthem's Exit Creates Obamacare `Crisis' for Rural 
Nevadans.''
  From the Washington Free Beacon: ``Recent Obamacare Insurer Exits 
Lead to 2 More Counties With No Choices.''
  This is another headline from the Washington Free Beacon: ``19th 
Obamacare Co-Op Folds, Leaving Only 4 Operating in 2018.''
  Across the United States, the story is the same--huge premium 
increases, fewer choices, and a system that is well on its way to 
complete collapse.
  In late May, the Department of Health and Human Services released a 
report comparing the average individual market insurance premium in 
2013, which was the year most of ObamaCare's regulations and mandates 
were implemented, with the average individual market exchange premium 
in 2017 in the 39 States that use healthcare.gov. This is what they 
found:
  Between 2013 and 2017, the average individual market monthly premium 
in the healthcare.gov States increased by 105 percent. That is in the 
4-year timeframe since ObamaCare was implemented. On average, 
individual market premiums more than doubled in just those few years.
  In my home State of South Dakota, premiums increased by 124 percent, 
or $3,588. That is money South Dakota families had to take from other 
priorities, such as saving for retirement or investing in their 
children's education. Over the past 5 years, the average individual 
market yearly premium has increased by $4,800 in Arizona; $8,364 in 
Alaska; $3,648 in Louisiana; $5,064 in North Carolina; $4,488 in 
Tennessee; and $5,292 in West Virginia.
  Premium hikes aren't over. In fact, in many cases, they are getting 
worse. Here are some of the premium hikes insurers are proposing for 
2018. In Maryland, one insurer has proposed an average premium increase 
of 52 percent. An Iowa insurer is seeking an average 43.5 percent 
premium increase. In North Carolina, an insurer is pursuing an average 
22.9 percent hike. A Virginia insurer is looking for an average rate 
increase of 38 percent. A Delaware insurer is looking for an average 
rate hike of 33.6 percent. A Maine insurer is seeking an average rate 
hike of 40 percent. I could go on. Remember, these are rate hikes for 
just 1 year. The double-digit rate hikes for next year are in addition 
to years upon years of dramatic Obama premium increases, as I already 
pointed out.
  The ObamaCare status quo is not sustainable. This law was fatally 
flawed from the beginning, and it is rapidly imploding. The American 
people need relief. Inaction is not an option.
  My colleagues across the aisle seem to want to do one of two things. 
They either want to do nothing, which would leave Americans even worse 
off than they are now, or they want to double down on ObamaCare's 
failures by giving the government even more control over Americans' 
healthcare and then raising Americans' taxes to pay for it. Neither one 
of those so-called solutions will provide relief to the American 
people.
  Republicans are committed to providing real help to the millions of 
Americans who have been hurt by ObamaCare, and we are working on 
legislation to do just that. My colleagues

[[Page S3893]]

in the House made a good start, and we are working to build on their 
bill here in the Senate.
  We are committed to helping to stabilize the collapsing insurance 
markets that left millions of Americans with no options. We are 
committed to freeing the American people from the onerous ObamaCare 
individual mandate, which requires Americans to purchase insurance that 
they may not want or can't afford. We are committed to improving the 
affordability of health insurance, which keeps getting more expensive 
under ObamaCare. We are committed to preserving access to care for 
Americans with preexisting conditions. We are committed to 
strengthening Medicaid for those who need it most by giving States more 
flexibility while ensuring that those who rely on this program don't 
have the rug pulled out from under them.
  The American people have suffered under ObamaCare for long enough. It 
is time to give them some relief, and that is what we intend to do.