Rep. Boehner Sticks To False GOP Health Care Talking Points

Rep. Boehner Repeats False GOP Talking Points

House Minority Leader John Boehner:

It is not too late to scrap this job-killing monstrosity and start over with a clean sheet of paper and a step-by-step approach focused on lowering costs for families and small businesses. Republicans have offered a plan to lower premiums by up to 10 percent, which is exactly what the American people want. [Boehner Release, 3/8/10]

Health Care Reform Will Create 4 Million Jobs Over The Next Decade

Health Care Reform Will Create Up To 4 Million American Jobs In The Next Decade. According to the Center for American Progress, "Relative to baseline employment forecasts from the Employment Projections Program at the U.S. Department of Labor, we estimate that moderate medical savings from health care modernization as envisioned under the legislation now before Congress would lead to an average of 250,000 additional jobs created annually. Under the larger assumption about savings due to health care reform, 400,000 new jobs a year would be created on average." [Center for American Progress, New Jobs Through Better Health Care, January 2010]

Health Care Reform Will Reduce Health Insurance Premiums for American Families

PolitiFact: "For Most People, Premiums Would Stay About The Same, Or Slightly Decrease."  According to PolitiFact.com: "The CBO reported that, for most people, premiums would stay about the same, or slightly decrease. This was especially true for people who get their insurance through work. (Health policy wonks call these the large group and small group markets.) People who have to go out and buy insurance on their own (the individual market) would see rates increase by 10 to 13 percent. But more than half of those people -- 57 percent, in fact -- would be eligible for subsidies to help them pay for the insurance. People who get subsidies would see their premiums drop by more than half, according to the CBO. So most people would see their premiums stay the same or potentially drop." [PolitiFact.com, 1/27/10, emphasis added]

CBO: House Bill Will Result In Lower Costs For American Families.  The Congressional Budget Office estimated that in 2016, premiums will be $5,300 for an individual and $15,000 for a family of four in the Exchange.  Without reform, the average family premium is expected to grow to $24,000. [CBO, 11/2/09; House Education and Labor Committee, 11/2/09]

The Republican Plan Increases Costs For Sick Americans, Allows Denial For Preexisting Conditions

GOP Bill Increases Premiums For Sick Americans.  Jonathan Cohn of The New Republic wrote, "yes, the Republican health care bill will lower premiums overall. But many people in poor health will see their premiums go up. And many people will get lower premiums only because they're getting inferior coverage. Meanwhile, more than 50 million people will have no insurance whatsoever." [The New Republic, 11/5/09]

GOP Bill Allows Insurance Companies To Deny Americans Coverage For Pre-Existing Conditions.  In his write up of the Republican bill's CBO score, Jonathan Cohn wrote, "under the Republican bills, the CBO notes, there will be enormous variation in rates between the sick and the healthy. Remember, unlike the Democrats, the Republicans--in their determination to avoid passing new regulations--wouldn't prohibit charging people more because they have pre-existing conditions or would otherwise represent greater-than-average health risks." [The New Republic, 11/5/09]