Political Quotes

“Mr. President, irrespective of how the Presidential election came out last November, we would be having a conversation about how to fix ObamaCare. There are many reasons for that, but most importantly is that it has just skyrocketed costs for people in this country. Premiums have gone through the roof, deductibles have increased, copays have increased, and out-of-pocket costs have become so extensive for people that even if they have coverage, they can't use their plans in many cases. So when our colleagues across the aisle talk about the recently rolled out proposal coming from the House--which they will be discussing and we eventually will be discussing--to try to drive down the costs for people in this country, that is what this debate is really all about. You can say what you want, but the fact is that this year, 2017, premium increases are 25 percent in the exchanges--25 percent. In six States, the premium increases were 50 percent in the exchanges. I don't know how anybody--any family in this country--can keep up with those kinds of skyrocketing premiums. If you are buying your insurance on the individual market, the roof is blown off. I talk to people in my State of South Dakota all the time who share with me the excessive amount that it now costs for them to cover themselves and their families. I talked to a lady in Sioux Falls recently, and she told me they are now paying $22,000 a year for health insurance. That is not working.…”