Column: Another Round of Obamacare Blunders

Statement

In the five years that Obamacare has been debated, analyzed, passed, signed and implemented, the warning bells of higher costs and fewer choices brought on by the ill-advised have become a burdensome reality for many Nebraskans. Brace yourselves as we learn that it's about to worsen. For Nebraskans who are dealing with these consequences, it can mean undue financial burden and added stress surrounding important health choices in one's life.

Earlier this month, preliminary data was released showing higher insurance premiums for many Nebraskans -- more devastating news for those who were promised lower costs when the law was being debated. If the rates are approved by the department of Health and Human Services (HHS), one carrier estimates that on average, customers as a whole will see a premium increase of 8 to 9 percent statewide.

Those purchasing insurance on the individual market through the federal exchange created by Obamacare have it even worse. Of the four insurance companies participating in the exchange, only one does not foresee average premium increases in the double digits for customers. In addition to Blue Cross Blue Shield's anticipated 19.5 percent average increase, CoOportunity Health rates are estimated to go up nearly 11 percent on average and Time's up 16 percent. Only one insurance company, Coventry, anticipated lower average premiums in the federal marketplace in 2015. Those harsh figures are a brutal contradiction for an exchange that was created under the guise of lowering health insurance premiums and stabilizing the market.

In addition to dramatically more expensive premiums for Nebraskans, the federal health insurance enrollment website -- healthcare.gov -- has encountered even more problems of late. Its numerous glitches since its debut last year and news that millions Americans who used the site may have received improper subsidy payments are only part of the problem. It was recently reported that part of healthcare.gov was compromised this summer by hackers. This degree of sloppiness is unacceptable-- particularly when it deals with Americans' sensitive personal data.

My colleagues and I repeatedly warned that the security of healthcare.gov could not be independently verified. In an attempt to provide additional oversight, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and I introduced the Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act earlier this year. Our bill would require HHS to notify individuals whose personal information has been unlawfully accessed through an exchange website within 48 hours of the breach's discovery. I've previously sponsored measures to increase oversight of healthcare.gov, including one requiring weekly reports to Congress, state governors, insurance providers and the American people on the performance of the exchange website. Unfortunately, Majority Leader Reid has refused to bring any of these commonsense measures to the Senate floor for consideration, much less the bill repealing the health law, which I also cosponsored.

Health care decisions are among the most important decisions Nebraskans -- and all Americans -- will make in their lifetimes. They often come with enough heavily-weighted factors. Worrying about security breaches and broken promises from proponents of Obamacare shouldn't be one of them.

Source