Debate Fact Check: Lobbyist David Jolly’s Radical ACA Repeal Would Make Everyone Pay More

Tallahassee, FL – At today’s forum, lying special interest Lobbyist David Jolly is still proving that Pinellas residents can’t trust him, misleading residents about his radical repeal of the Affordable Care Act that would hurt Pinellas seniors, allowinsurance companies to do what they want including denying coverage, charging women more than men, and making everyone pay more.  Here are the facts about Lobbyist Jolly’s radical repeal of the Affordable Care Act: 

• Jolly Supported “Repealing Obamacare in Totality.” In 2013, when asked if he supported “repealing Obamacare in totality,” Jolly answered “yes.” [St. Petersburg College Debate, 2/03/14]
   
• 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]

• USA TODAY Headline: “Repealing health care law would mean higher costs.” [USA TODAY, 2/1/14]

• 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]

• Kaiser Health News Headline: “Joining GOP Trend, U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Urges Fix, Not Repeal, Of Obamacare.” [Kaiser Health News, 1/31/14]

• 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]

• 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]

• 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] 

• 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]