ObamaCare Delivers a Pizza Loaded with Extra Costs

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is a political committee devoted to maintaining and increasing the 239-member Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 We already knew that healthcare was getting more expensive under ObamaCare, but now even pizza night in homes across America might get pricier thanks to the government takeover of healthcare:

“PAPA JOHNS: ‘OBAMACARE’ WILL RAISE PIZZA PRICES”: (Byron Tau, “Papa Johns: ‘ObamaCare’ Will Raise Pizza Prices,” Politico, 8/7/2012)

OBAMACARE WILL RAISE COSTS FOR EMPLOYERS, WHICH PAPA JOHNS “VOWED TO PASS ONTO CONSUMERS”: “Pizza chain Papa Johns told shareholders that President Obama's health care law will cost consumers more on their pizza.

“On a conference call last week, CEO and founder John Schnatter — a Mitt Romney supporter and fundraiser — said the [sic] health care law's changes — set to go into effect in 2014 — will result in higher costs for the company — which they vowed to pass onto consumers.” (Byron Tau, “Papa Johns: ‘ObamaCare’ Will Raise Pizza Prices,” Politico, 8/7/2012)

This is just the latest example of how ObamaCare’s costs are being transferred to working families. In addition to paying more for pizza, consumers are also paying more for their healthcare as costs continue to rise:

“BUSINESSES BRACE FOR HEALTHCARE COST INCREASE, REPORT SAYS”: (Kathryn Smith, “Businesses Brace for Health Care Cost Increase, Report Says,” Politico, 8/8/2012)

“NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF EMPLOYERS EXPECT TO SEE A COST HIKE IN THEIR HEALTH PLANS”: “Nearly two-thirds of employers expect to see a cost hike in their health plans when the Affordable Care Act goes into effect in 2014, and a quarter say they will have to make changes to their coverage to avoid penalties, according to the survey by the Mercer consulting firm.” (Kathryn Smith, “Businesses Brace for Health Care Cost Increase, Report Says,” Politico, 8/8/2012)

46% OF RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY EMPLOYERS EXPECT TO COST HIKES OVER 3%, AS DO 40% OF HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY EMPLOYERS: “Retail and hospitality industries, which typically employ larger numbers of part-time workers, are bracing for the biggest increase in costs — 46 percent said they’re expecting costs to increase by a minimum of 3 percent. The health care industry is close behind, with 40 percent expecting that increase in costs.” (Kathryn Smith, “Businesses Brace for Health Care Cost Increase, Report Says,” Politico, 8/8/2012)

NATIONAL BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH: 7% HIKE IN HEALTHCARE COSTS EXPECTED THIS YEAR: (Sam Baker, “Businesses Predict 7 Percent Jump in Healthcare Costs,” The Hill, 8/6/2012)

60% OF EMPLOYERS PLAN TO TRANSFER COST INCREASES TO EMPLOYEES IN THE FORM OF HIGHER PREMIUMS: “Sixty percent of employers said they plan to shift more healthcare costs to employees, but most said their workers' costs would rise by less than 5 percent next year. Companies are also trying to cut costs by beefing up programs that reward workers for healthy behavior.” (Sam Baker, “Businesses Predict 7 Percent Jump in Healthcare Costs,” The Hill, 8/6/2012)

EARLIER STUDY: HEALTHCARE COSTS TO RISE 7.4% AS OBAMACARE TAKES FULL EFFECT: “In 2014, health spending growth is expected to accelerate to 7.4 percent as the major coverage expansions from the Affordable Care Act begin.” (Sean P. Keehan, Gigi A Kuckler, et al, "National Health Expenditure Projections: Modest Annual Growth Until Coverage Expands and Economic Growth Accelerates," Health Affairs, July 2012)

Sadly, the tax hikes and increased costs are just getting started:

ANOTHER BROKEN OBAMA PROMISE: “YOU DON’T RAISE TAXES IN A RECESSION.” (“Obama: We Must ‘Help Elkhart Reinvent Itself,’” MSNBC, 8/5/09)

CBO: $1 TRILLION IN OBAMACARE TAX HIKES OVER 2013-2022: (Douglas Elmendorf, “Letter to the Honorable John Boehner,” Congressional Budget Office, 7/24/2012, p.6)

NFIB STUDY: 150K SMALL BUSINESS JOBS COULD BE DESTROYED BY OBAMACARE’S HEALTH INSURANCE TAX: (“NFIB Research Foundation Study: Health Insurance Tax to Cost 125,000 to 249,000 Private-Sector Jobs,” NFIB, 11/9/2011)

AT LEAST 14,500 JOBS OR AS MANY AS 47,000 JOBS COULD BE DESTROYED BY OBAMACARE’S HEART ATTACK TAX: (Michael Ramlet, Robert Book and Han Zhong, “The Economic Impact of the Medical Device Tax,” American Action Forum, 6/4/2012)

13,303 SMALL- TO MEDIUM-SIZE MEDICAL DEVICE FIRMS IN U.S., OR 91% OF ALL MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANIES COULD BE AFFECTED: (Michael Ramlet, Robert Book and Han Zhong, “The Economic Impact of the Medical Device Tax,” American Action Forum, 6/4/2012)

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION: “3.2 MILLION JOBS AT FRANCHISE BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO BE PUT AT RISK”: (“High Court Ruling Puts Jobs at Franchise Businesses at Risk,” International Franchise Association, 6/28/2012)

OBAMACARE TAXES ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER:

2013:

MEDICARE PAYROLL TAX INCREASES: (David Lightman, "When Health Bill's Provisions Would Take Effect," McClatchy, 3/21/2010)

NEW TAX ON MEDICAL DEVICES THAT WILL DISCOURAGE INNOVATION OF NEW LIFESAVING TECHNOLOGIES: ("Implementation Timeline," Kaiser Family Foundation, Accessed 4/30/2012)

NEW LIMITS ON MEDICAL EXPENSE INCOME TAX DEDUCTIONS: ("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business," NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)

2014:

INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TAX GOES INTO EFFECT: ("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business," NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)

NEW FEES AND PENALTIES HARMING JOB CREATORS GO INTO EFFECT: "Employer mandate: The bill contains a complex employer mandate requiring some firms to provide insurance, pay penalties or both. The penalties are based on (1) the number of full-time (or part-timers counted as full-time equivalent) employees, (2) whether or not the firm offers coverage, and (3) whether or not one or more employees qualify for government subsidies toward the purchase of health insurance. An employee qualifies for a subsidy if his or her household income is below 400% of the federal poverty line ($88,000 for a family of four today). Here are some of the rules." ("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business," NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)

$8 BILLION NEW TAX ON SMALL BUSINESSES: "Small business health insurance tax: An annual fee on health insurance providers will be passed on to consumers. This tax will fall on the vast majority of plans that small businesses purchase, but not on self-insured plans (such as most big business and labor union policies). The fee is $8 billion for 2014, $11.3 billion for 2015 and 2016, $13.9 billion for 2017, $14.3 billion in 2018. For years beginning 2019, the $14.3 billion figure will be adjusted upwards for the growth in medical costs." ("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business,"NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)

TENS OF MILLIONS OF MORE AMERICANS TO FACE RISK OF LOSING INSURANCE, BEING DUMPED INTO MEDICAID: ("Implementation Timeline," Kaiser Family Foundation, Accessed 4/30/2012)

2015:

OBAMACARE MANDATE FINE TRIPLES TO $325 PER AMERICAN: ("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business," NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)

2016:

OBAMACARE MANDATE FINE RISES TO NEARLY $700 PER AMERICAN: ("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business," NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)

TAX DEDUCTIONS FROM MEDICAL EXPENSES EXPIRE FOR SENIORS: "Fewer deductible medical expenses: New limits are placed on the deductibility of medical expenses on individual income tax returns. This provision raises the 7.5% AGI floor on medical expenses deductions to 10%. The AGI floor for those 65 and older (and their spouses) remains at 7.5% through 2016."("Healthcare Reform Law – Implementation Timeline for Small Business," NFIB, Accessed 4/30/2012)