Democrat Insurance Commissioner Blames Floundering NC Insurance Market On Obamacare | Eastern North Carolina Now

Will Roy Cooper Continue To Defend It?

 Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina's Democrat Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin publicly denounced Obamacare Tuesday, sharing his concerns over the law's harmful impact on the marketplace and North Carolina families. While Commissioner Goodwin joins the chorus of experts and officials voicing their opposition to the law, Attorney General Roy Cooper remains Obamacare's lead defender in North Carolina.

 "Roy Cooper can't continue to duck the tough questions if he wants to earn a promotion from North Carolina voters," said NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse. "Does he side with Washington bureaucrats and defend Obamacare, or does he join the growing number of Democrats realizing the harm it's caused to families here at home?"

 In a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell, Commissioner Goodwin argued that Obamacare is forcing higher insurance costs, substantial losses to insurers, and a potential exodus of insurance providers from the state. Goodwin sent this letter following a personal conversation with Burwell last fall.

 Despite having announced a bid for the governor's mansion nearly four months ago, Attorney General Roy Cooper has remained silent on the consequences of the law and even called to expand Obamacare in North Carolina.

NCGOP Media Availability

• Who: NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse
• Where: NCGOP Headquarters, 1506 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27605
• When: Today, 11:00 AM
•  *Also available for phone interviews

Background

• "Cooper has refused to join litigation by other states." (Jon Camp, "NC Republicans Challenge Health Care Reform," ABC11, 1/27/2011)

• "N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper on Monday called on Gov. Pat McCrory to expand Medicaid health insurance..." (Craig Jarvis, "Cooper calls on McCrory to expand Medicaid," The News & Observer, 8/10/2015)
• Roy Cooper: "It just makes sense." (Facebook post: Attorney General Roy Cooper,7/30/2015)

• "Health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act will increase as much as 50 percent for some plans in January under newly approved rates released Friday by the N.C. Department of Insurance." (John Murawski, "ACA premiums in NC to rise sharply in 2016," The News & Observer, 10/30/2015)
• "'What we're hearing from the insurance companies and seeing in the numbers is their expenses are way worse than they expected,' said Kerry Hall, a spokeswoman for the Department of Insurance. 'We also need to make sure that insurance companies are solvent and they're here offering plans.'" (John Murawski, "ACA premiums in NC to rise sharply in 2016," The News & Observer, 10/30/2015)

• "Goodwin told Burwell that the number of insurers offering individual coverage here has decreased from 29 to 8, while those offering small group coverage dropped from 27 to 10. Total plans in the individual market have fallen from 1,700 to 683. 'If North Carolina continues along this path and we have no carriers, what do we do?' Goodwin said, recounting his November conversation with the DHHS Secretary. 'Secretary Burwell was dismayed that a state like North Carolina would be posing this question.'" (John Murawski, "NC insurance commissioner blames ACA for industry woes," The News & Observer, 2/3/2016)
• "U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's ideas to improve the Affordable Care Act" (Video, The News & Observer Youtube channel, 9/25/2014)
• "State Auditor Fires Professor Who Made Controversial 'Obamacare' Remarks" (Mark Binker, WRAL-TV, 11/20/2014)

• Contact: Kara Carter
•  NCGOP Press Secretary
•  kara.carter@ncgop.org