Kerby Anderson

As the congressional debate about repealing Obamacare moves along, there will certainly be a debate about some of the facts surrounding its effectiveness and implementation. Writing for The Daily Signal, Alyene Senger lists 8 Reasons Why Obamacare Should be Repealed. Some of the facts she cites should be part of the congressional debate. Cost is a significant concern. “According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average family premiums for employer-sponsored plans have increased almost 32 percent from 2010-2016.” When you look at the individual market, the average nationwide premium increase has been 99 percent for individuals and 140 percent for families. Choice and competition is another issue. Many Americans don’t have much of a choice when it comes to insurance plans and that also affects cost. A Heritage Foundation report that will be coming out found that 70 percent of U.S. counties have only one or two insurers offering coverage on the exchange in 2017. Plan cancellation is another concern often voiced by listeners calling into my radio program. When the rules and regulations for Obamacare took effect in 2014, many insurers were forced to cancel plans that didn’t comply. As a result, there were at least 4.7 million plan cancellations across 30 states. Finally, there is the problem of restricted access to medical providers. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concluded that 41 percent of these networks are either small or very small. That means that some include less the 10 percent of practicing physicians, and others may only include between 10 and 25 percent. These and other relevant facts should be used to make a case for repeal but also need to be considered when a workable replacement is offered.