Metro East Sun

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) recently spoke out on the 2017 health insurance rates announced by the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Rates in the state are skyrocketing, with rates going up between 30 and 77.3 percent, depending on the provider and the subscriber's county. This has generated calls for Congressional intervention. 

In addition, Aetna announced that it will not provide health insurance in Illinois in the upcoming year. This decision coupled with the liquidation of the Land of Lincoln co-op has left several counties, including McHenry, Lake and Kendall, with only Blue Cross Blue Shield plans provided by the Health Care Services Corp.

“The President and his fellow Obamacare supporters promised all uninsured Americans that Obamacare would make health insurance accessible and affordable," Shimkus said. "Of course, he also vowed that those already with coverage they liked would be able to keep it. We now know that is simply not the case in Illinois and across the country. Because of increasing premiums and high deductibles, people are paying more for less coverage than they did before, while the newly insured are facing limited, expensive choices on the exchanges."

Shimkus pointed out that the Republican plan, A Better Way, addresses poverty, national security, the economy, the Constitution, health care and tax reform. A Better Way provides new health care legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act.

“Republicans have put forward A Better Way that offers Americans more choices, lower costs, real protections and peace of mind," Shimkus said.