Surprise, Surprise: ‘Health Premiums Rise Sharply’

by William Warren

Despite President Obama’s Repeated Promises That His Health ‘Law Will Lower Premiums,’ Families And Employers Are Paying More

‘Increase In Family Premiums’ ‘Tied To Provisions Of The Federal Health Care Overhaul’
“The health-insurance premiums paid by employers rose sharply this year, with the average annual cost of family coverage passing the $15,000 mark for the first time, according to a major survey.” (“Employer Health Premiums Rise Sharply,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/27/11)

“The average annual family premium for 2011 was $15,073, up from $13,770 last year.” (“Employer Health Premiums Rise Sharply,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/27/11)

“The 9% average increase in family premiums for 2011, reported in an annual poll of employers performed by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, comes despite a continued trend toward more limited use of medical services in the U.S. Last year, family premiums rose just 3%, the survey found.” (“Employer Health Premiums Rise Sharply,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/27/11)

“…around 1.5 percentage points of the 9% increase was tied to provisions of the federal health care overhaul…” (“Employer Health Premiums Rise Sharply,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/27/11)

President Obama’s Promise: ‘This Law Will Lower Premiums’
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Families will save on their premiums.” (President Obama, Remarks After Meeting With Senate Democrats, 12/15/09)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Your employer, it's estimated, would see premiums fall by as much as 3,000 percent … which means they could give you a raise.” (“Will Health Care Bill Lower Premiums?” The Associated Press, 3/17/10)

OBAMA: “All this is going to lower premiums. It’s going to make healthcare more affordable.” (President Obama, Remarks, 9/22/10)

“This law will lower premiums.” (President Obama, Remarks To ‘Families USA,’ 1/28/11)

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “Bringing down costs of health insurance and making it more affordable is job one for this health care reform.” (Sen. Dick Durbin, Floor Remarks, 12/18/09)

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