DCCC: Lobbyist Jolly’s Radical ACA Repeal Would Make Pinellas Seniors Pay More

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued the following news release:

Special interest Lobbyist David Jolly has spent his campaign lying to Pinellas residents and embracing "rigid ideological positions (http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/times-recommends-kathleen-peters-for-us-house-gop-primary/2157297)" that are out of touch with Pinellas values. So for 10 days, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is highlighting 10 reasons why Pinellas residents can't trust special interest Lobbyist David Jolly to represent them.

Today's reason: Jolly's radical repeal of the Affordable Care Act would make seniors and Pinellas residents pay more money - as a new Wall Street Journal (http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/03/03/obamacare-effects-account-for-most-of-income-spending-increases/) report shows the ACA is boosting household income.

"Lobbyist David Jolly's radical repeal of the Affordable Care Act would allow insurance companies to do whatever they want and force everyone to pay more money for medicine," said David Bergstein of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "Whether Jolly is lobbying for a client that wants to privatize Social Security, or bringing back the Medicare prescription drug donut hole for seniors by repealing the ACA, Jolly's priorities are clear: protect unfair tax breaks for his corporate clients and the ultra-wealthy while making seniors and middle class families pay more. It's just another reason Pinellas families can't trust Lobbyist David Jolly."

And in case you missed them, here's Reason 8 (http://dccc.org/newsroom/entry/lobbyist_jolly_played_an_active_role_in_making_military_veterans_pay_more_f/), Reason 9 (http://dccc.org/newsroom/entry/at_debate_lobbyist_jolly_doubles_down_on_social_security_privatization/) and Reason 10 (http://dccc.org/newsroom/entry/10_days_10_reasons_we_cant_trust_lobbyist_david_jolly_he_accepted_25000_fro/) voters can't trust Lobbyist Jolly.

BACKGROUND:

Tampa Bay Times: Jolly Wants to Repeal ACA "But Has No Workable Plan" for Replacement. In 2014, the Tampa Bay Times editorialized: "Jolly wants to repeal the health care law but has no workable plan to provide coverage for millions of uninsured Americans." [Tampa Bay Times, 2/07/14 (http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/times-recommends-alex-sink-for-us-house/2164683)]

Wall Street Journal: ACA "Already Boosting Household Income." "The Affordable Care Act, President Barack Barack Obama's signature health law, is already boosting household income and spending []On the incomes side, the law's expanded coverage boosted Medicaid benefits by an estimated $19.2 billion, according to Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis. The ACA also offered several refundable tax credits, including health insurance premium subsidies, which added up to $14.7 billion. Taken together, the Obamacare provisions are responsible for about three-quarters of January's overall rise in Americans' income." [Wall Street Journal, 3/03/14 (http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/03/03/obamacare-effects-account-for-most-of-income-spending-increases/)]

USA TODAY Headline: "Repealing health care law would mean higher costs." [USA TODAY, 2/01/14 (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/01/repealing-the-aca-could-hurt-everybody-experts-say/5055395/)]

National Journal Headline: "Republicans Unveil Their Obamacare Replacement -- The plan is for people to pay for more of their health care." [National Journal, 1/27/14 (http://www.nationaljournal.com/health-care/republicans-unveil-their-obamacare-replacement-20140127)]

Jolly's ACA Repeal Would Reopen the Prescription Drug Doughnut Hole. "There's a Medicare prescription-drug coverage abyss that is playfully referred to as the 'doughnut hole,' though there is nothing sweet or amusing about it. But thanks to the Affordable Care Act, which had a rocky launch last week, Medicare beneficiaries will see that gap shrink again in 2013 and each year until 2020." [Wall Street Journal, 10/06/13 (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303722604579111170290397770)]

Jolly's ACA Repeal Would Allow Insurers to Deny Coverage Because of Pre-Existing Conditions. "As many as 129 million non-elderly Americans have a pre-existing health condition that puts them at risk of being denied affordable coverage without health care overhaul, according to a government report. The estimate represents nearly half of Americans younger than 65, and 86 percent of people 55 to 64 [] The act already prohibits insurers from limiting lifetime coverage to a fixed dollar amount or denying coverage to a child younger than 19 because of a pre-existing condition. As many as 17 million children younger than 18 have a pre-existing condition, according to the report." [ABC News, 1/18/11 (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Health_Care/health-care-millions-americans-pre-existing-health-conditions/story?id=12638910)]

Jolly's ACA Repeal Would Allow Insurers to Charge Women More than Men. "First, the Affordable Care Act eliminates the discrimination that women have faced when buying insurance. For years, insurance companies may have charged women up to ten times more for their insurance than they charged men. Women often were denied coverage because of a 'pre-existing' condition. [] Under Obamacare, insurance companies can no longer use gender as a factor when setting premiums." [Washington Post, 9/30/13 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/09/30/women-win-some-lose-some-under-obamacare/)]

Jolly's ACA Repeal Would Eliminate Coverage for Preventive Care. "About 71 million Americans with private health insurance plans received at least one free preventive health service -- such as a mammogram or flu shot -- in 2011 and 2012 because of the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration said Monday. In addition, about 34 million people in traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans also received at least one free preventive health service -- such as an annual wellness visit -- due to the health care law, according to a report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In total, about 105 million Americans have been helped by the preventive services coverage improvements in the Affordable Care Act, said the HHS, which is marking the third anniversary of passage of the law." [US News & World Report, 3/18/13 (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/03/18/millions-got-free-preventive-care-due-to-health-law-hhs-says)]

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