NRCC hits Calif. Dems over ObamaCare rates

{mosads}“Now that Democrats’ rhetoric is finally meeting reality, Californians see that the president’s healthcare law is made up of empty wallets and broken promises,” NRCC Communications Director Andrea Bozek said in a release sent to the districts of seven House Democrats.

The NRCC attacked Reps. John Garamendi, Ami Bera, Jim Costa, Lois Capps, Julia Brownley, Raul Ruiz and Scott Peters for voting against a GOP bill to repeal the healthcare law.

The NRCC cited then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) 2012 statement that “everybody will have lower rates” because of the Affordable Care Act.

The campaign committee then cited an analysis, from a conservative health policy expert, that says some rates in California will rise by 64 to 146 percent.

California’s rate filings have touched off a firestorm of controversy and differing interpretations. Just last week, Obama heralded the same cost projections cited by the NRCC as evidence the healthcare law is working.

Some young, healthy people in California will see their premiums rise once the healthcare law is fully implemented. The increases will primarily affect young, healthy people who buy policies that offer low premiums in exchange for bare-bones benefits. 

The healthcare law requires individual insurance policies to cover a certain level of benefits, which means premiums will be higher.

Conservatives have seized on those increases, and contrasted them with Pelosi’s earlier comments, to make the case that ObamaCare will usher in massive “rate shock” for young customers.

The health law’s supporters note that conservative rate estimates do not account for new tax credits to help pay for premiums. Some especially poor Californians will be eligible for credits big enough to cover their entire premiums.

California’s rates also came in far below initial estimates. Even without accounting for tax credits, the cheapest policies in the state will cost less than $200 per month.