Alabama sees America’s highest premium spike under Obamacare

0
5
Alabama southern health care medicaid medicare obamacare

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) details the premium changes Americans across the country have experienced under former President Barack Obama‘s signature legislation, Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.

According to the report, which uses the data the Obama administration relied on, “average exchange premiums were 105 percent higher in the 39 states using Healthcare.gov in 2017 than average individual market premiums in 2013.”

“Premiums for individual market coverage have increased significantly since the Affordable Care Act’s key provisions have taken effect,” the new report reads.

The report also found the State of Alabama saw the nation’s highest premium increase since the implementation of Obamacare with an average 223 percent increase between 2013 and 2017 due to the new regulations. That’s more than double the national average.

HHS_2013_2017Premiums

Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby said the statistics show why Republicans are working to offer Americans relief from the burdensome law.

“The numbers are staggering. Insurance premiums and deductibles have skyrocketed due to the regulations and mandates imposed by Obamacare,” Roby said. “Providers have been forced out of the market, and Alabama consumers now only have one option for health insurance. Problems like these are why I worked to help build support for our three-step plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.”

Earlier this month the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), which is the first of a three-phase plan by Republicans in Congress and the Trump Administration to repeal and replace Obamacare and rebuild America’s health care system, based on a plan that is intended to lower premiums and other out-of-pocket costs that have come to weigh on patients.