High Country Times

Over 150 million Americans prefer the comprehensive and cost-effective health care coverage they receive from their employers. However, the Biden administration is actively attempting to dismantle access and affordability of employer-sponsored plans to increase Obamacare enrollment numbers.

Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) recently authored an op-ed for the Washington Times, emphasizing the benefits and flexibility of employer-sponsored health care coverage while criticizing Democratic efforts to shift more Americans into the Obamacare marketplace.

"Americans don’t need Biden to dictate their health care coverage," wrote Rep. Virginia Foxx on May 27, 2024. She noted that over 150 million Americans obtain their health care through employer-sponsored insurance, which offers high-quality, low-cost options. These plans provide added benefits for workers and their families and serve as essential recruiting tools for employers.

Foxx argued that employer-sponsored health insurance delivers better value compared to government-run programs. Citing data from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), she stated that employer-based coverage costs taxpayers $2,000 per recipient annually, compared to Medicare at $15,309 per recipient and Affordable Care Act exchanges at $6,630 per recipient.

She criticized Democrats' attempts to dismantle these plans in favor of "Obamacare" options despite a preference among 68% of Americans for employer-provided coverage over federal or state government alternatives. Foxx labeled these efforts as part of misguided initiatives aimed at expanding the high-cost Obamacare market at the expense of higher costs and lower-quality care for workers and taxpayers.

Foxx pointed out that such efforts are evident in the Department of Health and Human Services’ fiscal 2025 budget proposal, which seeks to make permanent the American Rescue Plan Act’s expansion of Obamacare’s advance premium tax credits. According to CBO estimates, this could result in 3.6 million employees losing their employer-sponsored insurance coverage and would cost taxpayers $383 billion over ten years.

In her op-ed, Foxx concluded that employer-sponsored health insurance is beneficial for patients, cost-effective for taxpayers, and widely popular among employees. She affirmed that Republicans are working to expand access and preserve Americans’ right to choose the coverage plan best suited to their needs.

To read the full op-ed click here.