House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) released an interactive video on Tuesday detailing how Obamacare has failed and explaining why the American Health Care Act should be passed to replace it.
"What is the latest on health care in America?" the narrator says. "Simply put, Obamacare is failing. Premiums are skyrocketing and the choices of insurance providers are dwindling. Obamacare is hurting American families now and will produce unsustainable costs into the future."
The narrator goes on to say that premiums in 2017 have nearly doubled since 2014, as they have gone from $2,784 to $4,712 in three years.
"In three states, Alaska, Alabama, and Oklahoma, premiums have tripled from 2013 to 2017," the narrator says. "Next, let's consider insurance choice. Now, one out of three counties in America only have one provider to choose from, and 41 percent of counties could only have one Obamacare insurer next year. In fact, [in] five whole states only one choice of Obamacare coverage is available."
"What about the future?" the narrator adds. "Once again, Obamacare is failing miserably. Without reforms, federal and state Medicaid spending will top $1 trillion by 2027."
The narrator points out former President Barack Obama originally projected that 23 million people would be covered by Obamacare, but that "less than half" of that projection was covered in March 2017.
The narrator then pivots to describe the proposed American Health Care Act to replace Obamacare.
"The mission of the AHCA is clear. The choice and control you want, the affordability you need, and the quality care you deserve. The AHCA tackles three problems in health care today by protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions while lowering premiums and reforming Medicaid," the narrator says.
"The AHCA will lower premiums and at the same time increase the health care options available to everyone. The AHCA returns control over health care back to the states presenting Americans a more affordable, individualized, and flexible health care system," the narrator adds.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) announced on Tuesday that he will keep the Senate in session for the first two weeks of August, delaying the August recess, to focus on the Obamacare repeal bill.
"In order to provide more time to complete action on important legislative items and process nominees that have been stalled by a lack of cooperation from our friends across the aisle, the Senate will delay the start of the August recess until the third week of August," McConnell said in a statement.