[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 26464-26465]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HEALTH CARE: HIGHER PREMIUMS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, Americans have always had a healthy 
skepticism about government. But the health care bill that Democrats in 
Congress have put together this year would surprise even the wariest of 
citizens about government's potential to misread its mandate.
  At a time of near 10-percent unemployment and a staggering $12 
trillion Federal debt, this bill proposes to spend at least another 
trillion dollars to extend the reach of government in the health care 
decisions of every single American.
  What's worse, a bill that was meant to control costs is expected to 
increase them. One independent study after another has shown that the 
bills we have seen wouldn't make health insurance premiums go down, 
they would actually drive them up.
  You would think this would be enough to send the bill writers back to 
the drawing board. After all, the primary argument that was used to 
marshal support for these bills was the unsustainable cost of health 
care. Unfortunately, it hasn't. Frankly, it is an absurd spot in which 
we now find ourselves.
  For months and months, we heard that certain reforms were needed to 
drive down costs. Yet now, after analysts have concluded that these 
proposals would actually increase costs, the people who were arguing 
for them are trying harder than ever to get these proposals approved, 
as quickly as possible.
  The irreducible fact is this: while Americans have been saying we 
need more affordable health care, the Democrat plan makes it more 
expensive--and that is not reform.
  We have the testimony of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the 
Congressional Budget Office, the administration's own Office of the 
Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and separate 
analyses by many others that say so. Each has said that the proposals 
we have seen would lead to higher premiums. And these higher premiums 
would especially hit the young, the healthy, and small businesses 
owners.
  Here is the breakdown. Premiums for young people could go up nearly 
70 percent, and even more than that in places such as Kentucky. And 
millions of Americans who have chosen a plan that fits their needs and 
their budgets will be forced to buy more insurance, at a significant 
cost. Like most of my colleagues, I am particularly concerned about 
what these plans will mean for the families I represent. And what I 
have seen so far from these reports is disturbing.
  As a result of all the various new rules, regulations, and tax 
increases that would come about as a result of the Democrat health care 
plan, a family of four in Kentucky that earns $66,000 a year is 
estimated to see their insurance premium double--from $355 to $787 a 
month.
  The other side will say that they intend to provide subsidies for 
families like these, and they do. But those subsidies would only cover 
about half the increase. So even after these subsidies are applied, 
this family ends up paying an extra $180 a month. As any family will 
tell you, that's $180 that will not go to the college fund, to the 
retirement account, or toward a family vacation.
  New taxes on medical devices would also contribute to higher 
premiums.
  Same goes for new taxes on life-saving prescription drugs and new 
taxes on insurance providers. One independent study shows that the new 
taxes and fees would add nearly $500 a year to the cost of insurance 
for American families.
  The Congressional Budget Office also predicts that a new charge to 
participate in so-called exchanges would lead private health plans to 
increase their premiums by about three percent. That is on top of all 
the other forces in this bill that work to drive up Americans' health 
insurance premiums.
  The testimony of these groups is clear: the Democrat plan would not

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only raise taxes and slash Medicare, it would also raise health 
insurance premiums. This is not reform, and it's certainly not what the 
American people were told they could expect.
  Republicans have proposed a different approach, one that responds to 
today's needs and one that respects the challenging economic 
environment we're in.
  We are for helping small businesses find affordable health insurance 
options for their employees. We are for providing individuals the same 
tax benefits for purchasing insurance that businesses get.
  We are for protecting doctors from frivolous lawsuits, so they can 
focus on treating patients--and lower their costs. We are for cracking 
down on the rampant waste and fraud that drive up the cost of care. And 
we are for the kind of wellness and prevention programs that have 
worked at places like the Safeway grocery chain.
  Contrast that with the other side's plan. A reform that was meant to 
cut costs has been shown to increase them. As I said, that is not 
reform. But it is also not too late. It is not too late for the parties 
to get together and deliver the reforms Americans really want.
  I yield the floor.

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