Looking to trip up former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Florida, largest swing state in the 2016 presidential election, the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Monday fired away at the Democratic presidential front-runner over President Barack Obama’s federal health-care law.
Using numbers from Healthcare.gov, the RNC showcased a new website , noting that average premiums have increased by 24.5 percent in the Sunshine State due to Obama’s federal health-care law. The site notes that the highest premium in Florida went up more than 62.5 percent.
“Both Clinton and Obama promised lower premiums under Obamacare, but Americans across the country are facing another round of double-digit rate hikes to their health-care premiums,” the RNC insists on the site. “With every passing day under Obamacare, more and more Americans bear the consequences of Obama and Clinton's broken promises."
Ali Pardo, a spokeswoman for the RNC, told Sunshine State News on Monday that Clinton, who served at the State Department in Obama's first term, backed the health-care law. During her husband's presidency, Clinton led the charge for a federal health-care law.
"Hillary Clinton has fully embraced Obamacare, even as Floridians have lost their doctors, their health care options, and are now preparing to see their rates skyrocket,” Pardo said to Sunshine State News. “Her support for Obamacare is just another reason voters can’t trust her."
At this early stage in the 2016 election, Clinton is the heavy favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Five years after the law was signed and Florida led an unsuccessful constitutional challenge against it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Obama’s health-care law remains controversial. Despite that, Clinton shows no sign of backing down in her support of the law.
"Our nation's future -- jobs and economic growth -- depends on investments made today,” Clinton insisted back in March, before she joined the presidential race. “The GOP budget fails Americans on these principles.
"Repeal of the ACA would let insurers write their own rules again, and wipe out coverage for 16 million Americans,” Clinton added.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
