Voters Face Premium Hikes Thanks To Partisan Health Spending Bill That Appointed Senator Bennet Eagerly Rubberstamped In WashingtonWASHINGTON – With less than 55 days until Election Day, the Wall Street Journal reports that, contrary to appointed U.S. Senator Michael Bennet’s (D-CO) claims, the Democrats’ massive health care overhaul will slam Americans with higher health care costs:
Health insurers say they plan to raise premiums for some Americans as a direct result of the health overhaul in coming weeks, complicating Democrats' efforts to trumpet their signature achievement before the midterm elections.
Aetna Inc., some BlueCross BlueShield plans and other smaller carriers have asked for premium increases of between 1% and 9% to pay for extra benefits required under the law, according to filings with state regulators.
These and other insurers say Congress's landmark refashioning of U.S. health coverage, which passed in March after a brutal fight, is causing them to pass on more costs to consumers than Democrats predicted.
Additionally, Bennet’s health care bill cuts Medicare by $500 billion, endangers jobs, reduces benefits and raises costs for Colorado seniors, and could strip more than one million Americans of their health coverage.
“This report is yet another reminder that Coloradans simply cannot afford six more years of Michael Bennet’s broken promises and reckless, partisan agenda in Washington,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Marchand. “As Bennet’s costly, unpopular health care overhaul continues to slam Coloradans with higher costs, there’s no doubt voters will elect a fiscally responsible leader in Ken Buck this November.”
Background Information:
Bennet Voted For The Senate Health Care Bill. (H.R. 3590, CQ Vote #396: Passed 60-39: R 0-39; D 58-0; I 2-0, 12/24/09, Bennet Voted Yea)
Bennet Touted His Vote For The Senate Health Care Bill. “Today I voted for a health care reform bill that will bring meaningful change to Coloradans. Reform that provides coverage to 840,000 uninsured Coloradans, extends and protects Medicare for our seniors and provides free preventive care for everyone. Reform that provides tax cuts to small businesses and eliminates exclusions based on pre-existing conditions. And, as promised, I voted for health care reform that doesn’t add a dime to the deficit.” (Senator Michael Bennet, “Bennet Statement On Senate Passage Of Landmark Health Care Reform Bill,” Press Release, 12/24/09)
Bennet Said He Would Sacrifice His Job Over His “Yes” Vote On Health Care. “So when John King from CNN asked me if I would vote for health care reform, even if it meant losing my job, it was easy for me to answer. I said ‘Yes.’” (Sen. Michael Bennet, Op-Ed, “The Politics Of ‘Yes,’” The Hill, 11/25/09)
“Over The Past Year, Michael Has Worked To Enact Meaningful Health Care Reform That Lowers Costs, Increases Consumer And Small Business Choice, And Makes Insurance Industry Practices Like Denials Based On Pre-Existing Conditions A Thing Of The Past - Without Adding A Dime To The Deficit.” (Senator Michael Bennet Website, http://bennet.senate.gov, Accessed 9/8/10)
Around The Time Of Bennet’s Comments, 55 Percent Of Colorado Voters Opposed The Health Care Plan Proposed By President Obama And Congressional Democrats. (“Election 2010: Colorado Senate Race,” Rasmussen Reports, 12/11/09)
