This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sen. Orrin Hatch ("Obamacare is failing ... ," Salt Lake Tribune, Dec. 6) has once more attacked the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with half-truths and innuendos. The op-ed has resulted in 142 comments to date and the overwhelming majority is negative, reflecting the fact that Hatch may be out of touch with his constituents!
One of the issues raised in the op-ed has to do with Arches Health Plan terminating operations. That was not the fault of the ACA as Hatch claims. It was the fault of the Republican Congress who, according to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, "must continue blocking risk corridor bailout of insurance companies" the very funds that Arches was relying on to continue operations.
Hatch makes the point that insurance rates are increasing but doesn't compare those increases with similar "pre-ACA" increases so how are we to judge? However, according to healthinsurance.gov, the 2015 Utah enrollment was 166 percent of the 2014 enrollment while 2015 rates increased an average of just 5.7 percent.
Hatch fails to mention the ACA positives that may contribute to premium increases:
• Pre-existing conditions are no longer cause for insurance denial.
• Insurance payouts must account for 85 percent of premiums.
Kermit Heid
Salt Lake City