ObamaCare rate increases fuel Republican attacks ahead of midterm elections
ObamaCare rate increases are coming to some key battleground states, fueling Republican attacks ahead of next months midterm elections.
It looks like we're going to have double digit premium increases in places like Alaska, and Iowa and Louisiana, said health economist John Goodman. Where we've got very close races for Senate, and Republican candidates are making a big deal over this."
The next ObamaCare open enrollment season begins Nov. 15, just 11 days after the Nov. 4 elections. Because the enrollment season is so close, the rate increases in many states already are known.
"Where we have the tight Senate races, the fact that we're getting these big rate increases just adds fuel to the fire for ObamaCare as a political issue and the Republicans attack on it," said Bob Laszewski of Health Policy and Strategy Associates.
In Iowa, for example, where Republican Joni Ernst is challenging Democrat Bruce Braley for the Senate, the Des Moines Register recently reported that premiums will be rising by double digits.
"We heard just last week," Ernst said in a debate Oct. 16, "that health care policies, their cost is going up an average of 19 percent..."
In the Louisiana race, Democratic senator Mary Landrieu has tried to distance herself from the president, even as he suggested those who do that still really support him.
But the largest insurer in the state, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, will raise rates as much as 19.7 percent, so her opponent, Republican Bill Cassidy, is running an ad with supporters pegged to the issue.
One woman says, "Senator Landrieu, I voted for you before, but when you voted for ObamaCare, I knew I had made a mistake."
A second woman adds, "cancelled health plans, now big rate increases.."
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ObamaCare rate increases fuel Republican attacks ahead of midterm elections