The Ed Gillespie for Senate campaign likes to remind people that Mark Warner was the 60th vote for ObamaCare (aka, The Affordable Care Act). He and 59 others, including our former Sen. Jim Webb, also hold that distinction.
That said, two recent developments might make that claim actually stick.
First, yesterday, the Health Insurance Reform Commission, led by Del. Kathy Byron, learned that 250,000 health care plans are about to be canceled in the commonwealth due to non-compliance with the ACA.
“The Committee heard testimony at today’s meeting that around 250,000 more Virginians will receive notices this year that their health plans are not compliant with the Affordable Care Act and will be cancelled as a result,” said Delegate Kathy J. Byron (R-Bedford), Commission Chairman. “These are in addition to those Virginians who have already received cancellation notices.”
So much for “if you like your plan you can keep it.” AKA, the “lie of the year,” according to PolitiFact. Warner said that he would never support legislation that would cause people to lose their health insurance.
Second, today Politico is reporting that other health insurance companies have to raise their rates to remain compliant.
Because of coverage requirements mandated by the law that had to be passed in order to find out what’s in it, we’re learning there’s a whole lot of added expenses for insurance providers. And that means higher rates.
In other words, Warner lied to us about being able to keep our existing plans and now his vote is making the insurance that we can keep more expensive.
Thanks, Senator!
PS Did I mention he votes with the president 97% of the time?
