Sen. Ron Johnson Advocates Overhaul of Affordable Care Act

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said that Republicans are preparing an aggressive push to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, arguing that the law has driven up costs and failed to deliver the benefits promised by the Obama administration. “They’re not going back and looking at what President [Barack] Obama — all the lies he told about this. They’re not acknowledging the fact that Obamacare caused premiums to skyrocket to that extent,” Johnson said during an appearance on “America Right Now.” Host Tom Basile cited data showing average premiums increasing 169% since 2013, with some states seeing hikes nearing 400%. Johnson argued that Democrats refuse to acknowledge what he described as “damage caused by Obamacare,” pointing to testimony from a Wisconsin woman who lost employer coverage, was forced onto the exchange, and later took out a home-equity loan to cover medical bills. “The problem is Democrats are in a complete state of denial,” Johnson said, adding that Republicans might pursue changes through reconciliation or consider eliminating the Senate filibuster to advance reforms. Johnson outlined several reforms he supports, including restoring high-risk pools to cover people with preexisting conditions, expanding health savings accounts and allowing consumers to purchase a wider range of insurance plans, including short-term and catastrophic coverage.