Readout of Secretary Price’s Healthcare Listening Session with Individuals Facing Lack of Coverage
At the
Secretary Price opened the meeting by welcoming participants from
"The individual small group markets, as you well know, where Americans buy insurance for themselves, the premiums and deductibles are increasing significantly and pricing folks really out of the market," said Secretary Price. "A lot of people have an insurance card, but they don't have any care because of the prices for deductibles. This challenge is an inherent challenge that exists because of the flaws within Obamacare, within the ACA. It's not because of something else going on out there. It's because of the structural flaws. And even with these higher prices, and the changes that have been put in place, insurers continue to flee the market. They continue to leave some coverage opportunities and get less and less. It's happening all across the country, particularly in the states where you all are from."
Secretary Price noted that premiums have risen 86% in
"The fact of the matter is that all those numbers reflect real people," said Secretary Price. "This is about real folks; this is about real people's lives. And the stories that we've heard at this table and around the country have been remarkably moving. I appreciate you participating and coming today to share your stories. At the Health and
Around the table, many expressed their concerns that because of Obamacare, more insurers would exit their markets, leaving them with no choices in bare counties or only one choice for health insurance. This was particularly of concern to the individual participants who have pre-existing conditions. Secretary Price noted that in his joint address to
Many individual participants also told stories about how many insurers have exited their marketplaces and left only one choice for coverage. They told the Secretary that just because they have an option for coverage, they cannot afford the one "choice." Secretary Price thanked the participants for coming to
The following individuals participated:
* Dr.
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* Omarosa Manigault, Assistant to the President,
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