Johanns Shares More Obamacare Stories from Nebraska

 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today shared stories from three Nebraskans who have expressed frustration regarding how Obamacare has impacted them.
Johanns posted an Obamacare comment form on his Senate website for Nebraskans to share how the law has affected them. More than one thousand Nebraskans have written about the law’s impact, the vast majority of whom relayed information about increased premiums and cancelled plans.
Here's a video of Johanns' remarks on the Senate Floor.  Click on the links in the transcript below to jump to video of the individual stories.

Transcript of Johanns’ prepared remarks

I come to the floor today to discuss the reports I’ve heard from Nebraskans about the President’s health care law.
Senators have been quoting facts, figures, and reports about the negative effects of this law since the debate began in 2009.
But no amount of facts and figures can be as illustrative as real life stories from our home towns and our Main Streets. 
These personal stories are powerful examples of what the reports have been saying all along and why we must stand with the American people and repeal this law. 
Deb from Kearney:
Like millions of other Americans, her family’s insurance plan has been cancelled. New premiums for her family of four increased 133%. Their plan pays for maternity coverage even though they no longer need it, because the law mandates it. Deb said, “Obama needs to call it like it is.  This is not the affordable health care act”
Jennifer from Madison:
She is a two-time cancer survivor. Jennifer shared that last year she spent a fair amount of time evaluating health care plans, and she picked a plan that made sense for her family.  Recently, she learned that her current plan would no longer be available because of the health care law’s new requirements.  She described her new plan option: “My deductible is going up, my co-insurance is going up, and my premium is almost doubling”  She went on to say, “I think it is an insult to hard working, responsible people like myself to require me to pay for coverage of all these additional services”
Hannah from Lincoln:
This 25-year-old is seeing massive increases as well. Her monthly premium is increasing by about 160%, and her annual deductible is more than doubling to over $6-thousand dollars. She explains, “I'm healthy and active--I love long-distance running--and I rarely get sick.  This is impossible for my budget.  I feel like Obama is punishing those of us who have graduated college and are working hard trying to make a life for ourselves.  We’re starting our families, building businesses, launching our careers, and trying to give back to our communities however we can.  Now Obamacare is devastating the American dream of an entire generation.”
These Nebraskans are understandably frustrated.
There’s been a lot of talk recently about this law and the President’s promises. 
Over the course of the last four years, none of his promises have centered on American families like these who are losing plans they like…or who are paying more for their coverage. 
And none of his promises indicated that young people like Hannah’s costs would skyrocket.
In fact, his promises signaled just the opposite – people could keep their plans and pay less.
But these consequences aren’t happening by accident.  They’re central pillars of the President’s law.  
The law mandated coverage standards for health insurance plans and forced people into policies that meet those mandates.    
What’s the result? A law that drives up costs and eliminates choices…it’s motivated by the principle that government knows best.  
It’s saying the health insurance that you freely chose is an inferior plan, and government must protect you from your own decision-making. 
This is not what the American people want.  And they have spoken loud and clear, especially in recent weeks as the realities of this law have set in. 
The frustrating part is that the President’s announcement last week that Americans can supposedly keep their plans was provoked – not by the devastating stories of millions of Americans – but by members of his own party who want to get reelected.
This is too little, too late. 
In 2010, the Administration’s own rule on this subject showed as many as 80% of small business plans and 69% of all business plans will lose their grandfathered status.
I went to the Senate floor at the time to warn about it.
Everyone on this side of the aisle voted to cancel this ill-advised Obamacare regulation; everyone on that side of the aisle voted to let this destructive rule go forward. 
Taking action three years ago would have been a thoughtful step to try to avoid these disastrous consequences. 
But a surprise announcement with essentially 45 days to undue three years of Obamacare damage is not a serious effort. 
If you are five touchdowns behind, you can’t wait until one minute left to start playing.   
Let’s face it -- President Obama’s announcement last week was not a policy solution, it was a political fix.
Once again, he has sidestepped Congress and the legislative process to unilaterally enact a temporary delay of one of his signature law’s major provisions. 
And let me emphasize that word temporary. 
Even if you believe that insurance companies and every insurance commissioner in all 50 states can undo all the planning they have done to comply with Obamacare in the next 45 days, our citizens will be right back in the same boat at this time next year. 
The cancellation policies will again be printed, the replacement Obamacare-approved policies will reveal skyrocketing prices, and our citizens will be right back in the same lurch. 
The time for temporary fixes that simply shift the blame or delay the pain until after the election are over.
                                                            
While I will fight to eliminate this law’s most burdensome provisions, the truth is that changes to this law create an avalanche of consequences. 
Its provisions are so interconnected and ill-fated that no amount of tweaking will provide long-term solutions for American families and businesses. 
I believe full repeal is the only real answer for American families. 
Congress can take a stand so millions of Americans can keep their doctors and the plans they like. 
We don’t need a 27-hundred page law and a trillion dollars in taxes to address the cost of health care or to help individuals with pre-existing conditions. 
Americans are demanding what they didn’t get in 2010 and since this law passed: transparency and thoughtful steps toward a better, more efficient, and lower-cost health care system. 
                                                                     
They want leaders who recognize we’re not on the right track and it’s time to reverse course. 
I believe a critical moment is upon us.  I hope we seize it instead of hiding behind more phony short-term fixes and broken promises.