WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after President Obama delivered remarks on Obamacare Tuesday:
While President Obama touted the seven million enrollment total today he failed to tell Americans the full story. He failed to mention that Congress’s own nonpartisan budget scorekeeper, the Congressional Budget Office, found the same number of people could actually lose access to their employer-based coverage. And, he failed to mention how many Americans signing up for ObamaCare used to have insurance they liked and doctors they trusted before they lost them due to this law. The president can continue to ignore the harsh side-effects of his health law, but the American people have to live with these realties.
Since the Obama administration has begun implementing the law, several nonpartisan experts have warned of the adverse economic impact the health care law will have on American individuals, families and job creators:
Loss of Coverage: The Congressional Budget Office recently reported that 7 million employees will actually lose their employer-sponsored coverage under Obamacare.
- Premium strikes: The Office of the Chief Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found that 2/3 of Americans that work at small businesses, roughly 11 million workers, will see their premiums rise under ObamaCare.
- Job loss: The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the President’s health care law would eliminate 2.3 million American jobs in 2021.
Additional Background
A staunch opponent of the president’s health law, Hatch has introduced legislation that would repeal the two central pillars of the Affordable Care Act, the employer and individual mandates, and has bipartisan legislation repealing the medical device tax that partially funds the law. Hatch has also championed legislation to repeal the tax on job creators and their employees. Hatch introduced the Trust But Verify Act, to delay the launch of the exchanges, where people will buy their Washington-mandated insurance, until the Government Accountability Office can certify that the Data Hubs, the online marketplace to buy insurance, is secure. Most recently, Hatch joined Sens. Richard Burr and Tom Coburn, M.D. to introduce the CARE Act, an alternative proposal to Obamacare that lowers health care costs and increases access to quality care.
Submitted by the Office of Sen. Orrin Hatch
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Why does Hatch keep harping on the “2.3 million job losses” when we all know that’s not the case. In fact, the CBO (where he gets the statistic) has even said those are not job losses, but people who are able to stop working because they no longer need the job to get insurance since they can purchase it for less on the exchange. That’s not a job loss…that’s an open position for 2.3 million unemployed Americans to step up and fill.
I don’t know a single person who is better off with obamacare, but I know plenty who have had their insurance canceled or drastically increased because of it. My insurance went up 26% on March 1st thanks to obamacare and the current coverage is no better than the previous coverage. My insurance for a family of 4 is now $20,500 (group plan through work). That is absolutely ridiculous. And I can guarantee you it isn’t done going up. obamacare is an absolute mess, but it was designed to be. They’ll pretend to try to fix it, then eventually throw their hands up and force the nation onto single-payer socialized medicine, which was the point in the first place. Then they’ll have control over everything. Oh, you have a gun in your home, no problem. But wait, that is dangerous, so your insurance rates triple. You like to ATV? No problem, but that is dangerous, so your insurance rates double. And so on, and so forth, ad infinitum (and ad nauseam, since we’ll all be sick to death of it).
Single payer? IMHO the sooner, the better
I guess Mr. Hatch would prefer to ignore the fact that people have gone without access to healthcare, and that we were spending billions so that these unfunded patients could receive emergency care only – if they were lucky. He can release all of the press releases he wants, there are 7.1 million people (not counting several state-run exchanges) who have access to healthcare. Perhaps he should stop whining about this issue and set about passing some laws.
Less than 1/3 of the reported number of signups were previously uninsured, and and less than half of them have paid. obamacare is a massive failure. In medicine they have the creed “First do no harm”. obamacare does WAY more harm than good, and that will become far more obvious as time passes.
So what’s your alternative, Senator Hatch? I mean, seriously . . .
Orrin……* and retire. You have out lived your usefulness. Go. Away.
You have no ideas and no solutions.
Ed. ellipsis …*
Actually, only about 900, 000 previously uninsured people have signed up and paid their first months payment. Look it up.
What happened to every family saving 2500 per year on health care premiums? Mine has skyrocketed since Obama took office. Just this month mine went up another 120 per month. I checked into the exchanges and they are even more expensive. Fact is this whole thing is a sham. I don’t know one person who has come up on the right side of this deal.
Umm. I have. 🙂
Hatch, instead of spending his recreational time (Read: 24 hours a day) on criticizing, might instead, come up with a better plan. He might also disclose first, publicly, his free government coverage is by far and away the finest any American could ever get, thus making his opinion on this matter meaningless. Utah needs a politician reset; these archaic thinking old men living in the past and dreaming up these silly conspiracies holds us all back.
Access to health care should be a basic human right, not a privilege. Like stated above, a single payer system is best. The profit motive in medicine seems to be a very regressive system. Take a look at other advanced countries. They make it work well. Canada–excellent, UK: not perfect, but still works… Obamacare definitely needs polishing, but it’s difficult to do with insurance company-backed right-wing obstructionism.
Hey Bub. Are you sure Canada’s works well? I lived in Canada and was a card carrying member of the health care system. Not so good. In fact, lots of folks came to the U.S. to get high quality care. The doctors’ pay is so poor up there that all of the good ones go to the U.S. After over 30 failed years of experimenting with moving toward Socialism Canada is moving to the right as fast as it can. Too bad Libs in our country can’t learn a thing or two from our friends to the North.
” I lived in Canada and was a card carrying member of the health care system. Not so good. In fact, lots of folks came to the U.S. to get high quality care.”
,,,
For some reason I doubt you were, and even if you were, did you actually use the system? Can you tell us about your personal experience with it? Can you give us a thorough critique?
Hi Bub, I lived there from 1988 to 1990 in Manitoba as a missionary. I had a card and used it 3 times. The good news: It was free. The bad news: You pay a stifling amount in taxes up there. The hospitals that I saw are run down and dilapidated. The service is horrible, very similar to the military hospitals that I went to when in the Army. That was my experience. Can’t speak for anyone but me, but I will tell you that the Canadians that I knew did not like it either.
Bub, why don’t you move to Canada then where healthcare is “excellent”. Just pray you done get sick, especially with something terminal. You have months to wait for treatment. At least that gives you time to bid farewell to your family and kiss your liberal … goodbye.
Ed. ellipsis
You’ve been listening to the lie factories on AM radio again…
And for the clowns that like to spout about how the private medical establishment produces all innovation– your dead …* wrong… big gubment funds most all medical research.
So why don’t you do something, Sen Hatch? Instead of complaining about it. You are a senior Senator. Can’t you do something constructive about it?
Please name one Republican who has done anything constructive on a national level (Senate, HoR or Presidential).
Bub, why don’t you move to Canada then where healthcare is “excellent”. Just pray you done get sick, especially with something terminal. You have months to wait for treatment. At least that gives you time to bid farewell to your family and kiss your liberal … goodbye.
Ed. ellipsis
In the USA, those without insurance pray they don’t get sick, because instead of perhaps a waiting list, one is left to die, with no lifeline at all (or wait until one is close enough towards death to receive disability-based medicaid). And don’t forget we are the wealthiest nation to ever exist on this earth. Obamacare was an idea to throw the ‘regular joe’ a lifeline, so that a person could get affordable care and not be bankrupted in the process. We didn’t end up with something great because right-wingers had their part in crafting the system… lots of tradeoffs were made to get it through congress…
I would like to see some “facts” presented on the other side of the argument that weren’t pulled word for word from talking idiots on right wing radio, but so far I’m not seeing it… 🙂
BUB gets his “facts” from the left liberal whack jobs of MSNBC. BUBs idol Ed Shultz provides him with the distorted “facts” he spouts. If any of you recall a commentor on this site (MURAT), has resurfaced as “BUB”….same drivel, same commentator. BUB/MURAT wouldn’t know a “fact” if it hit on the head.
I’ve negotiated and contracted heath insurance contracts for different employers over many years. Increased rates can not be attributed to ACA/Obamacare – they are a fact of life.
Most people I know want a single-payer system like Medicare for all. The ACA doesn’t go far enough, it’s not perfect, and it needs tweaking.
Take the politics and the profit out of health care – both are immoral.
The Repubs have been bashing Obamacare forever; I have yet to see any alternative put forth from them. Put up or shut up. People that complain the loudest about Obamacare have insurance or are covered by Medicare. I’ve heard from many formerly uninsured people tell me they are so happy to finally have insurance and can now go to the doctor.
Also, the VA medical system is 100% socialized medicine…
Hunter, are you saying that the people the stop working don’t count as a job reduction? : mainly, are you saying that people are able to quit their jobs because of how much money they’ll save on health insurance or something? Ha either I’m missing the point or what you’re saying is ridiculous. It’s like you’re saying that the only reason people work is to get health insurance benefits, when really people need to work regardless. I’m wondering if I’m missing your point but you said people are able to stop working after purchasing the coverage for less, and that’s where the job loss numbers come from. Haha… I need to shed some light on where the job losses are coming from. First of all, the economy will continue to tank. Second, and probably most relevant to Obamacare, is small business will and have been laying people off so they don’t have to pay for the employees new expensive health benefits. Small businesses will down size below the limit required to provide health benefits for their employees.
What Brian says is true. We said the rates would go up 50% the first year and double in three years. Rate went up, regardless of how much and who you ask. The point to this is that it was sold to be affordable, which it certainly is not. It was originally said to be free health care but the website change that wording before winter holidays. Whatever was promised hasn’t happened. What was said it was, is not. Nor is this some piece of save the day legislation, as there wasn’t and epidemic of uninsured people anyways. Did anyone realize yet who played a role in drafting the 10000+ page bill? Recycled from many years past it was written by insurance companies and ex Nazis, literally. So of course the rates will go up favoring the insurance companies! And of course the IRS will steal more money from us if we don’t sign up. Another tax to bring us to our knees. Get ready for a revolution. All those 10000+ pages weren’t just health care. Ha but the average American doesn’t know that.
Brian is right on the numbers, and could’ve added that only a fraction of the uninsured have signed up. And the amount of uninsured was not a big deal to begin with.
EllieMae. That isn’t a true number, and as if those people couldn’t get access before.
Dana, D Hodja, and Mr Doug are more of those people that dog on Hatch and rip on him for his age and all. It’s such a waste of time and a distraction. Discuss the issue at hand and forget about the face or name or the party. Stay focused and productive. I’m not a supported of Hatch or a defender of either political party because it makes no difference. For fools only. I’m engaged in this discussion without needing to be for or against a congressman and without needing to be apart of any political party. The problem here is not political. It’s a major societal one that doesn’t get fixed with any politician or playing the political game.
Ron, Hatch doesn’t need an alternative, even though many congressman have proposed other options. The people, meaning you, need to come up with the alternative. Stop looking for a leader and lead yourself. This political system has failed and it’s time we govern ourselves, as it once was. Smaller, limited govt is what it’s all about.. . As far as an alternative, it’s not changing it this way in the first place. The alternative is to go back to pre-Obamacare times. People assume this is all set in stone. Sure sure it was written into law, blah blah blah, no one has to follow an unconstitutional law. Wake up people! Don’t accept this dung.
Bub, yes, access to health care should be a basic human right, but also having the right to choose if you want it and from where you get it- not forced upon us. See that? You speak of rights and civil liberties, yet you fail to realize the tremulous violations of civil liberties the govt makes.
There was(is?) an epidemic of uninsured. And yes the ACA kind of sucks because huge compromises were made to get it accepted by a portion of right-wingers in congress. A lot of what you typed is not factual at all…