Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) attacking Obamacare this morning:
Millions of people have lost their jobs, have lost their health care, have been forced into part-time work, have their premiums skyrocketing.
Four bold claims from Senator Cruz. Here are the facts on each:
Cruz Claim #1: Obamacare is Killing Jobs
The Facts: Since the enactment of Obamacare, more than 8.5 million jobs have been created in the private sector, a dramatic turnaround from the 3.6 million lost under Republican policies in the decade before Obamacare.
(data source)
Cruz Claim # 2: Obamacare Causing Millions More to be Uninsured
The Facts:
U.S. Uninsured Rate Drops so Far in First Quarter of 2014
Rate among 26- to 34-year-olds continues to fall
The percentage of uninsured Americans fell to 16.0% so far in the first quarter of 2014 from 17.1% in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Cruz Claim #3: Obamacare Forcing People into Part-Time Employment
The Facts:
In fact, the opposite seems to be happening, according to new government numbers published Friday: The number of part-time jobs is actually shrinking, and full-time jobs are being created instead.
Cruz Claim #4: Obamacare Causing Premiums to Skyrocket
The Facts:
Employer-Sponsored Family Health Premiums Rise a Modest 4 Percent in 2013
This year’s rise in premiums remains moderate by historical standards....
“We are in a prolonged period of moderation in premiums, which should create some breathing room for the private sector to try to reduce costs without cutting back benefits for workers,” Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman, Ph.D., said.
Growth of Health Spending Stays Low
The rate of increase in health spending, 3.9 percent in 2011, was the same as in 2009 and 2010 — the lowest annual rates recorded in the 52 years the government has been collecting such data.
And slowing down the growth of health care spending doesn't just benefit policyholders, it benefits the country's bottom line:
Correction: The initial version of this post mistakenly stated that 3.8 million private-sector jobs had been lost in the decade before the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. The correct number is 3.6 million.