VP Mike Pence tells Milwaukee audience Trump will end 'the Obamacare nightmare'

Rick Barrett | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Vice President Mike Pence campaigned in Milwaukee Saturday for an overhaul of health care, promising small-business owners the Trump administration would replace the Affordable Care Act and listening to their complaints about a system that's doubled some insurance premiums.

Pence spoke at Direct Supply Inc., a northwest Milwaukee company that employs more than 1,000 and helps build and equip long-term care and senior living communities.

Addressing a crowd of about 200 Direct Supply employees and invited guests, Pence said the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called "Obamacare," is hopelessly broken and that some insurance premiums have risen nearly 200% under it.

“We are going to keep our promise to repeal and replace Obamacare,” Pence said.

The vice president’s sentiments were underscored by Julie Champine of Waukesha County, who said her health insurance premiums have risen so sharply under the Affordable Care Act that she and her husband, Bart, had to choose between paying for insurance or buying Christmas gifts for their children.

Even after $979 a month in premiums, Champine said, she and her husband still had to meet a total of more than $13,000 in annual deductibles.

"It has been devastating to us financially. Every purchase I make, I question," Champine said, adding that they can't afford to go to the doctor.

“Her story is one that millions of Americans are facing every day,” Pence said.

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President Donald Trump and Pence contend that the Affordable Care Act is collapsing as insurers pull out of the system and people choose to pay a penalty, and go without insurance, rather than sign up for policies they can’t afford.

The House-backed American Health Care Act rolls back much of the ACA, but critics say it would leave millions of people uninsured.

Pence has been touring the country holding events as the Senate works on its own version of the health care bill passed by the House.

At Saturday's event, business owner Mary Springer of Waukesha said her company's health care costs have risen so much under the Affordable Care Act that she's hesitant to add more employees.

Another small-business owner said his insurance premiums have gone up more than 80%, to $21,000 a year, and his deductible has risen to $6,500.

Another business owner said some of his employees dropped their insurance, and instead paid the penalty for not having coverage because they couldn't afford it.

Critics of the House-backed American Health Care Act say it would impose an "age tax" through the combined effect of allowing insurers to charge older adults five times more than what younger consumers pay for the same insurance and reducing tax credits that help older people pay for their coverage. The result of the two changes would be an increase in annual premiums of up to $13,000 for some older Americans.

“Working families in Wisconsin, who are already struggling to make ends meet, will be especially hard hit by this partisan legislation," U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) said in a statement Saturday. "Vice President Pence needs to explain to Wisconsin families why he wants Washington to make them pay more for less care and increase the number of people who are uninsured.”

“If you are struggling with health care costs, this legislation will raise average premiums next year. If you are older, you will pay an age tax, and if you have a pre-existing condition, the guaranteed protections and care that you have today may not be there tomorrow,” Baldwin said.

With pressing budget deadlines looming and Trump eager to focus on tax legislation, Senate GOP leaders say they’re close to calling for a vote on their health plan.

Republicans control the Senate 52-48 and will need 50 votes plus Pence to pass their bill. That means they can only lose two lawmakers, a tall order given significant disagreements that persist over Medicaid and other issues, including money for Planned Parenthood.

Still, “the Obamacare nightmare is about to end," Pence said. "We are going to repeal and replace it once and for all,”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.