Iowans Hit Hard with Obamacare Premium Hikes for 2017

Several years after the Affordable Care Act was passed all Americans will see large increases in their health care premiums. Critics of Obamacare saw this was coming, and proponents did to if they were paying attention and are being honest. Iowans will see an average 28.79 percent premium hike that was approved by the Iowa Insurance Commissioner according to ACAsignups.net.

Below are the individual plans premium rate increases and how many Iowans those rate increased impacts (also courtesy of ACAsignups.net)

• Aetna Health Of Iowa/Coventry was approved for a 22.58 percent premium hike for 2017, impacting 42,000 Iowa residents.
• Freedom Life was approved for a 17.37 percent premium hike for 2017, the same level it requested. No Iowans have enrolled as of yet.
• Gunderson Health Plans was approved for a 19.8 percent premium hike for 2017, the same level it requested. Only 88 Iowans have enrolled.
• Medica Insurance Co. was approved for a 19 percent premium hike for 2017, impacting 1,367 Iowa residents.
• Wellmark, Inc. was approved for a 42.6 percent premium hike for 2017, impacting 14,900 Iowa residents.
• Wellmark Health was approved for a 37.8 percent premium hike for 2017, impacting 7,700 Iowa residents.

The Obama administration has had to admit the national average hike of 22% for Obamacare plans and that one in five patients have access to just one provider.

Hillary Clinton has defended Obamacare at every turn and has promised not to repeal it. She has said she would “fix” it, but that rings hollow when she supports the very program that led to these rate increases. Minor tweaking will not do. She also wants to expand it.

According to the Marshalltown Times-Republican in 2012 former Lt. Governor Patty Judge who is challenging U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) campaigned for President Barack Obama’s reelection and said, “Obamacare and job and economic growth are just a few of those accomplishments from Obama during his first term.”

This is an accomplishment?

The Muscatine Journal reported in 2010 that she was excited as the Obamacare roll call vote was going on during the House. “Judge said Sunday night, as the votes were coming back from the House in Washington, she couldn’t get away from the television. ‘I couldn’t stop,’ she said, ‘It was so exciting,'” they reported.

The Ames Tribune reported Judge called the Affordable Care Act “an incredible accomplishment” while stumping for Obama. “I don’t think you separate it from the economy because when you consider the amount of your income going toward health care coverage…clearly in this country, health insurance is a driver for this economy,” Judge said.

Would she like to explain?

She’s not alone. Jim Mowrer who is running against Congressman David Young (R-Iowa) in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District said that the Obamacare implementation was going very well.

Back in 2014 Mowrer when he was then a resident of the Iowa 4th Congressional District and running against Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) said he was not afraid of the Obamacare backlash. I have to wonder if he feels the same today.

Monica Vernon who is running against Congressman Rod Blum (R-Iowa) in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District race does not support a repeal of Obamacare. She weakly criticizes the Affordable Care Act based on the website problems when it was launched.

Her website reads:

Every American should have access to quality, affordable health care. The idea is simple, but the execution is more difficult.

The Administration made an important step forward with the Affordable Care Act. But there were serious problems with the Healthcare.gov website that were unacceptable.

We can’t go back to the days when insurance companies could deny coverage for a pre-existing condition or raise rates or drop coverage if you get sick. We’ve got to fix it so it works for the middle class and small business.

The measure of a great country is how we take care of all of our people. Access to quality, affordable health care is imperative for the strength of our nation.

No person should suffer due to lack of insurance. I will work as hard as needed to make sure nobody does.

Congressman Dave Loebsack (R-Iowa) voted for Obamacare and has worked to protect it ever since.

Kim Weaver running against Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District doesn’t support repealing Obamacare.

I wrote in 2014 and it is still true today, Obamacare is an albatross around the neck of Democrats. They need to explain their support to Iowans who are seeing their insurance premiums skyrocket.