Political Quotes

“I rise today to discuss higher premiums and deductibles facing Alaskans, despite President Obama's promise that he will lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year. I can assure you that families in Alaska that I have heard from are experiencing just the opposite; significant, double digit increases in their premiums and they are not pleased with the President's failed promise to lower their healthcare costs. I received a letter from a couple in Fairbanks, AK who is in the 55- plus age group and make ``decent'' but not significant incomes. They also do not qualify for Federal subsidies. They say the new cost of their insurance is ``like another mortgage payment--over $1,500 per month with an increase from $5,000 to $6,350 for each deductible.'' By my assessment, that's over $18,000 in premiums plus $6,350 for their initial out-of-pocket expenses, which totals over $24,000 before any non-routine checkups are covered. They say they would rather pay the penalty, and unfortunately, this couple is not alone in their thinking. In Alaska, a State with the second highest premiums in the Nation according to CMS' own data, many of my constituents will opt for the penalty rather than bankrupting themselves to pay for a health insurance policy. It's not surprising that the letter ends by saying, ``Not happy with the Affordable Care Act.'' I agree. And recent polls indicate that many Americans aren't happy with the Affordable Care Act.…”