In tonight’s GOP debate, Ted Cruz proved, yet again, that he is running for Misleader-in-Chief, continuing his string of lies about Obamacare. His claim: “[Obamacare] is the biggest job killer in this country. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, been forced into part time work, have lost their health insurance, have lost their doctors, have seen their premiums skyrocket.” Fact checkers prove otherwise.
CruzCare
Ted Cruz misleads on Obamacare
PolitiFact rated Ted Cruz’s claim that Obamacare led to premium increases for “virtually every person” as “False.” “Cruz said Obamacare has led to premiums going up and up and up for virtually every person. Cruz was most inaccurate when he spoke sweepingly about most Americans. The fact is, the majority of Americans already have insurance and Obamacare has had little impact on their premiums. The people first in line to see the law’s effects are in the individual market. There, it is true that young adults, along with some older adults, are vulnerable to hefty premiums hikes, but as painful as that might be, their numbers hardly amount to ‘virtually every person.’ One final point: Cruz’s comments don’t take into account the many people who will get subsidies as they shop on the health care marketplaces. People making less than 400 percent of the “poverty level will be eligible for subsidies. If these people have been able to afford to buy their own insurance before the law, then they should see substantial decreases in their premiums thanks to the new regulations and subsidies. Cruz is using inflated rhetoric. We rate his claim False.” [PolitiFact, 10/17/13]
PolitiFact rated Ted Cruz’s claim that “under Obamacare, 7 million people will lose their employer-sponsored insurance” as “Mostly False.” “Cruz said that according to the CBO, ‘under Obamacare, 7 million people will lose their employer-sponsored insurance.’ Not exactly. This claim is a refraction of the budget office’s forecast, which says that in four years–2017 and 2021 through 2023–seven million fewer workers will have employer-based plans than if Obamacare were not law. In any year, it makes sense to expect some workers to lose employer-backed coverage. Things change. But the office’s 10-year forecast does not estimate how many workers will ‘lose’ employer-sponsored plans. Conversely, it indicates that compared to 2013, more workers will have employer plans in all but one year of the decade. This claim skews a single cherry-picked number from a multi-variable presentation. While there is an element of truth–fewer workers will have employer-supported plans than if Obamacare had not passed into law–the CBO report also indicates many Americans will obtain coverage from other sources. We rate the statement as Mostly False.” [PolitiFact, 8/19/13]
FactCheck.org said the Republican claim that the Affordable Care Act “kills jobs” was “health-care hooey…with little basis in fact.” “The exaggerated Republican claim that the new health care law ‘kills jobs’ was high on our list of the ‘Whoppers of 2011.’ But the facts haven’t stopped Republicans and their allies from making the ‘job-killing’ claim a major theme of their campaign 2012 TV ads[.] […] All of this is health-care hooey, aimed at exploiting public concern over continuing high unemployment, with little basis in fact. As we’ve said before (a few times), experts project that the law will cause a small loss of low-wage jobs — and also some gains in better-paid jobs in the health care and insurance industries.” [FactCheck.org, 2/21/12]
Ted Cruz’s “alternative” health plan is a sham
ThinkProgress: Ted Cruz’s plan to open “insurance markets across state lines could actually lead to higher premiums, among other issues.” “The Texas senator has been one of the most outspoken opponents of Obama’s health care law, repeating in almost every public appearance that he promises to ‘repeal every single word’ of the law. Distinguishing himself from other candidates, he has actually offered up legislation to replace the law — the Health Care Choices Act. His legislation would allow people to buy health insurance across state lines and would undo much of Obama’s law, including the mandate, the marketplaces and the subsidies. But while Cruz has argued that Americans need an alternative that would lower costs, opening insurance markets across state lines could actually lead to higher premiums, among other issues.” [ThinkProgress, 6/21/15]
Salon’s Simon Maloy: “Simply put, Cruz wants to strike down most of the policies the ACA put in place to protect consumers from the worst abuses of the insurance market, and in their place he’d put… nothing.” “Cruz has long been adamant that every single word of the Affordable Care Act should be repealed, but his proposed legislation only takes out part of the ACA. It would immediately repeal Title I of the Affordable Care Act, which would eliminate the individual and employer mandates, the state-based exchanges, subsidies for purchasing insurance, the protections for people with pre-existing conditions, the requirement that kids can stay on their parents’ plans until age 26, the prohibition on capping lifetime benefits – basically most of what people love and hate about the ACA. Simply put, Cruz wants to strike down most of the policies the ACA put in place to protect consumers from the worst abuses of the insurance market, and in their place he’d put… nothing.” [Salon, 3/6/15]
Daily Beast’s Dean Obeidallah: “It’s a little hard to take [Ted Cruz’s] 26-page bill seriously when it is intended to replace the nearly 1,000-page Obamacare law.” “So what has Cruz offered? Well, to his credit, he actually drafted a piece of legislation, titled the ‘Health Care Choice Act of 2015.’ (PDF) This is in contrast to 2014 when Cruz promised a detailed Obamacare alternative and only gave us a tattoo of Winston Churchill. I’m not kidding. While on Fox News last April, when asked about his health care plan, Cruz responded by rolling up his right sleeve and revealing a new tattoo on his forearm of Winston Churchill. It turned out to be a faux tattoo since it was April Fools Day. But Cruz was not kidding when it came to a lack of a plan. This time, though, Cruz has offered specifics. Well, sorta. It’s a little hard to take his 26-page bill seriously when it is intended to replace the nearly 1,000-page Obamacare law.” [Daily Beast, 3/5/15]