Gov. Walker: Obamacare Will 'Devastate' Wisconsin

Obamacare will have a devastating effect on Wisconsin and its residents, and lead to higher insurance premiums, dropped coverage, and greater dependency on the government and taxpayers, Gov. Scott Walker writes in an Op-Ed published in The Washington Post.

He further writes that from a “practical standpoint, Obamacare will devastate Wisconsin.”

Citing a study commissioned by his predecessor, a Democrat, Walker noted that should the law be fully implemented in Wisconsin, 100,000 people will be dropped by their employer-sponsored health insurance; 59 percent of people who buy their own health insurance will experience an average premium increase of 31 percent; and 50,000 people will stop buying health insurance in the private sector and will instead become dependent on the government and taxpayers.

He also wrote that between 2014 and 2019, “Obamacare could cost Wisconsin taxpayers $1.12 billion; after all federal aid and tax credits are applied, the state’s portion of the bill will be $433 million.”

“It’s important to go beyond these facts and understand what they really mean for those of us who live in the Badger State,” he wrote. “Young people will be hit hard with premium increases. Those between 19 and 29 years old who have individual insurance will experience an average premium increase of $1,631 per year. A family of four that does not qualify for a subsidy can expect a 28 percent increase — from $8,528 to $10,912. For those who are covered by the small-employer group market, the average premium increase will be 15 percent.”

Walker said the law raises “serious philosophical questions” about the power of the federal government and the relationship between federal and state governments.

“In Wisconsin, the data show that Obamacare will increase the cost of health care for most residents,” he wrote. “That is not a prescription for positive change. Other states will face similar situations. We can do better.”