While the Obamacare juggernaut continues to eviscerate the individual market, it was already bad press that millions were losing health insurance plans they already liked. It was made worse when it was discovered that the Obama administration knew millions would lose their coverage, but went along with this unconstitutional power grab anyway. It was only a matter of time before the other shoe fell; employer-based health care coverage.
Yet, like with the individual market, the Obama administration knew millions would be axed from their employer-based coverage; it’s another promise broken by hope and change.
CBS News Investigative Reporter Sharyl Attkisson dropped this bombshell earlier this morning – and it’s exposes another instance of the president deliberately lying to the American people. Noah Rothman at Mediaite gave a nice summary of her report.
“We’ve learned that the government estimated all along that millions of workers will be dropped from their employee insurance under the Affordable Care Act and, for some, it’s already happening,” Attkisson revealed.
Attkisson highlighted the story of one woman who was featured in a White House video blog in 2012 as a likely ACA success story. In the months that followed, however, she was faced with a premium rate hike of 39 percent which would increase her health care costs by $30,000 annually.
“I didn’t take it seriously, because I had the opportunity to go on HealthCare.Gov,” said New Hampshire business owner Nancy Clark. She cancelled her and her company’s insurance but has since been unable to replace their cancelled plans.
“They’re going to have to go find their own insurance,” said Virginia Beach business owner Betsy Atkinson who is navigating a similar ordeal. “I’m sorry.”
Attkisson’s report featured a series of clips of White House Press Sec. Jay Carney informing reporters that small business owners and those with insurance provided though their employer would experience no changes as a result of the implementation of the ACA.
While many losing their current plans will be able to receive cheaper plans with better coverage requirements, others will pay higher premiums as a result of the new coverage requirements. The persistent technical issues associated with HealthCare.Gov also makes acquiring insurance difficult
Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimated in 2010 that Obamacare would “reduce the number of employer-sponsored health care coverage by about 14 million.”
So much for the promise of being allowed to keep your insurance if you like it.
What’s so ironic about this entire fiasco is that the Obama administration, amongst other things, tried to demonstrate the big government is good, efficient, and trustworthy. Benghazi, the IRS scandal, and the strong-arming of journalists at Fox News, AP, and elsewhere began to chip away at that narrative. And the complete failure of the president’s signature domestic achievement, along with its false promises, have made distrust and incompetence hallmark characteristics of this administration.
No, Mr. Obama, big government isn’t good. It’s never been a good thing. And the American people are starting to remember why.