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Ellmers’ legislation will lower costs for health insurance coverage
Story Date: 6/1/2015
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Source: PRESS RELASE, 5/29/15
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement regarding H.R. 1348, the Health Insurance Freedom Act of 2015.
“One of the many unfortunate consequences of Obamacare has been a drastic increase in premiums for North Carolinians. This increase in cost is largely related to a provision within Obamacare mandating that insurance providers cover specific benefits in every health insurance plan – the problem is that many of these benefits are unusable to certain sectors of the population. For example, there are senior citizens paying for benefits like maternity, newborn care and pediatric services.”
“My legislation, The Health Insurance Freedom Act, provides greater choice and lowers costs for patients by allowing them to choose the services they want included in their health insurance plans. Each person should have the ability to decide what is truly 'essential’ in their health plans— and the federal government should not force individuals to pay for services they do not need.”
“I’m proud to put forth this patient-centered legislation that prioritizes greater choice and flexibility for North Carolinians’ healthcare coverage.”
Beginning January 1, 2014, individuals and the small group market were required to enroll in a health insurance plan that covers, at a minimum, 10 general categories referred to as “Essential Health Benefits” (EHB’s). EHB’s are the primary reason premiums are sky rocketing for millions of Americans, as these expanded benefits have to be paid for by way of higher premiums.
As stated in this Washington Times article “Obamacare premiums soar as much as 78% to help cover 'essential health benefits’”:
“Another cost driver is the heightened benefit mandate. The Affordable Care Act requires insurance policies to include 10 “essential health benefits,” including pediatric dental and vision care, maternity care and newborn care, even for policyholders with no children or whose children are adults.
'If you’re expanding the services you’re covering, and you’re increasing the number of less healthy people in your risk pools, that’s going to increase costs,’ Mr. Kev Coleman, [head of research and data at HealthPocket, a nonpartisan, independently managed subsidiary], said. 'Attendant to that would be an increase in premiums to be able to appropriately cover those costs.’”
The Health Insurance Freedom Act, or H.R. 1348, ensures that the American people have an option to choose the services they need for their health insurance. This will provide them with the ability to opt out of coverage they will neither need nor want – ultimately allowing them to decide what is essential for themselves and their families.
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