A prominent Democrat is criticizing Obamacare, with Minnesota’s governor calling the law “no longer affordable.”
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton said Wednesday that the reality is the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable for “increasing numbers of people,” the Associated Press reported. He then called on Congress to install several fixes to the law to take care of rising costs as the state faces premium increases of up to 67 percent next year.
Dayton’s comments come a week after former President Bill Clinton made waves by saying that Obamacare is the “craziest thing in the world.” Clinton later backtracked to say that he believes Obamacare has expanded insurance to many people but that some enrollees and small businesses are struggling with higher costs.
Dayton isn’t the only Minnesota official to criticize Obamacare.
The state’s top insurance regulator, Mike Rothman, said last month that the rate increases in the individual market, which is made up of people who don’t get insurance through their job, are “unsustainable.” Obamacare’s marketplaces comprise much of the individual market.
Rothman said that while federal tax credits help some state residents, rising rates are both “unsustainable and unfair.”
“Middle-class Minnesotans in particular are being crushed by the heavy burden of these costs,” he said.
Minnesota isn’t the only state to deal with steep price increases in 2017.
An estimate from acasignups.net found that 32 states would face an average 24 percent premium increase next year. However, that estimate includes off-exchange policies and doesn’t take into account deductibles or co-pays.
The Obama administration did not immediately return a request for comment.
However, administration officials have pointed out that more than 80 percent of Obamacare enrollees receive tax credits that help pay down the cost of high premiums.
