October 04, 2013 10:25 AM UTC

Gardner Won't/Can't Back Up Health Premium Hike Claims

• 8 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Via the Colorado Independent, Rep. Cory Gardner's insurer, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, appears to dispute Gardner's claims of a massive premium increase:

The chief marketer for Rocky Mountain Health Plans told the Colorado Independent on Wednesday that policy-holder Congressman Cory Gardner, whose current plan is being canceled, can choose from a “ton” of different plans offered by the company on the Connect for Health Colorado “Obamacare” exchange that opened Tuesday and that he’d find a comparable plan.

“The Congressman can go on the exchange. We’re offering tons of different policies with different benefit levels,” said Neil Waldron. “Probably one of our medal plans would be best. Without knowing particulars, I’d say the cheapest plan available to the congressman would be our Bronze Plan. Looks like that might be in the price range he’s paying now.” [Pols emphasis]

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A terrific followup to our questions about the shocking allegation of well over a 100% premium hike in Rep. Cory Gardner's health insurance due to the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. "Obamacare." As FOX 31's Eli Stokols reports this morning, Gardner turned unhelpful when asked for the details supporting this claim–a claim that, without his help, nobody can corroborate.

Gardner, in just his second term, has been using highlighting own personal experience with the Affordable Care Act.

In an interview last Friday, Gardner told FOX31 Denver that his current insurance plan was being cancelled and that premiums for a comparable plan under “Obamacare” are more than double what he’s been paying…

“We were paying about $650 a month for our plan. And the plan that’s most similar to replace it through our current provider goes up by 100 percent more, so it’s from $650 to $1,480.”

Later that same day, Gardner appeared on CNN’s Crossfire and told the exact same story.

Since then, FOX31 Denver has asked Gardner to provide a copy of the letter or to provide additional details about the policies.

Five times.

But Gardner’s office chose not to help corroborate his claims.

We were immediately suspicious of Gardner's claim of a $650 monthly premium increasing to nearly $1,500–not necessarily due to the unreasonableness of either figure, but the simple idea that anyone would be subject to such an increase for coverage Gardner insists is "comparable." Now that consumers are seeing the rates for insurance to be offered through the health care exchange, his claims just don't add up with real-world experience. It shouldn't be a problem to show how these plans are "comparable" in terms of coverage, deductibles, and so forth.

But for whatever reason, it doesn't appear Rep. Gardner wants to do that.

Why do you suppose that is, folks?