On the recordMarch 11, 2010
It's a third-party pay system that exists right now. It does not work when your employer controls your health care plan. It will not work when the government controls your health care plan. It makes all the sense in the world to let people control their own health care plans. I've got a couple of myths and facts here I thought I'd conclude with. The White House says that your insurance premiums will decrease if this bill is enacted. Interestingly, the CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation say that the average premium per person covered for new nongroup policies would be about 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the average premium for nongroup coverage in that same year under current law. So we're going to put the government in charge, and premiums will go up. The President said that you could keep your coverage if you like it. Interestingly, in Baltimore, when he came and talked to us, he admitted that was no longer the case. In fact, here are the numbers: Between 8 and 9 million people who would be covered by an employment-based plan under current law would not have that offer of coverage if this bill passes. I think this is a critically important debate. I think we can reform health care in America. I think we can find ideas on the other side of the aisle and on this side of the aisle. I think we can get to reform, but I don't think the way to do that is with a system that moves power away from you and me and gives it to the government.
