Republican Governors Association

“As the four year anniversary of ObamaCare fast approaches, Marylanders have been devastated by the epic failings of Governor Martin O’Malley and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown. Together they promised to ‘lead the nation’ in building a state ObamaCare exchange. Instead, they ignored warning signs and are left with the dubious honor of having the first federal investigation into their failed exchange. To make matters worse, Marylanders are experiencing the costs of ObamaCare as the elderly are losing Medicare Advantage coverage and jobs are disappearing. Maryland deserves better.” – RGA Communications Director Gail Gitcho

Democrat Governor Martin O’Malley Promised That Maryland’s State ObamaCare Exchange Would “Lead The Nation”, Established Council To Oversee The Operation With Lt. Governor Anthony Brown As Co-Chair

Just 24 Hours After ObamaCare Was Signed Into Law, O’Malley Promised That Maryland Would “Lead The Nation” In Putting It In Place. “Barely 24 hours after President Obama signed his landmark health law, Gov. Martin O’Malley promised that Maryland would ‘lead the nation’ in putting it in place…But when Tuesday arrived, Maryland’s Web site stumbled badly. People couldn’t log on, forcing state officials to delay the opening of the exchange for four hours. Even after it opened, many frustrated users were unable to create accounts, the first step in buying coverage. All told, fewer than 100 people have managed to enroll.” (Lena H. Sun, “Maryland’s Health Insurance Web Site Stumbles Badly In First Days,” The Washington Post, 10/4/13)

Less Than A Day After ObamaCare Became Law, O’Malley Called Press Conference To Announce Creation Of Maryland’s Own ObamaCare Exchange. “It’s a situation far different than what O’Malley predicted on a sunny morning in March 2010, less than 24 hours after Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. O’Malley called reporters to the entrance of an Anne Arundel County emergency room to announce that Maryland would begin drafting plans to ‘immediately begin the work to ensure our state leads the nation.’”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

Through Executive Order, O’Malley Created The Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council To Oversee The State’s Efforts To Implement The ObamaCare Exchange. “Governor Martin O’Malley unveiled an Executive Order today outside the Emergency Room at Anne Arundel Medical Center, where the Governor outlined ways in which federal health care reform, signed by President Obama yesterday, will impact families in Maryland.  The Executive Order creates the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council to advise the administration on policies and procedures to implement the recent and future federal health care reform legislation as efficiently and effectively as possible. As states assume the critical role of implementing multiple aspects of health care reform, the Council will make policy recommendations and offer implementation strategies to keep Maryland among the leading states in expanding quality, affordable health care while reducing waste and controlling costs.”  (Press Release, “Governor Martin O’Malley Announces Health Care Reform Council,” Office of Governor Martin O’Malley, 3/24/10)

“Council To Ensure Efficiency In Implementing Health Care Expansion, Cost Control Measures.”  (Press Release, “Governor Martin O’Malley Announces Health Care Reform Council,” Office of Governor Martin O’Malley, 3/24/10)

“Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, DHMH Secretary John M. Colmers To Co-Chair Council.”  (Press Release, “Governor Martin O’Malley Announces Health Care Reform Council,” Office of Governor Martin O’Malley, 3/24/10)

“Maryland Was Among The Earliest And Most Enthusiastic Supporters Of What Became Known As ‘ObamaCare,’” Second State “To Enact Legislation Creating An Exchange.” “Of the 14 states that opted to build and run their own health-insurance marketplaces, Maryland was among the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of what became known as ‘ObamaCare.’ And it became the second state, trailing California, to enact legislation creating an exchange.”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

O’Malley And Brown Ignored Warnings For Over A Year That The State Lacked A “Plausible Plan” For The Exchange That Had A “Calamitous Debut”

Washington Post Investigation: Members Of O’Malley’s Cabinet “Failed To Heed Warnings” That The $170M Exchange Lacked Accountability And Was “A Disaster Waiting To Happen.” (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

According To Budget Officials, The O’Malley-Brown Exchange Was A “High-Risk Undertaking From The Outset.” (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

“On A Conference Call At The Start Of The Final Week Of September, Senior Aides Gave O’Malley A High-Level Summary Of Expected Troubles With The Exchange.”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

“The Web Site Would Not Allow Some People To Check For Subsidies Or To Select Plans, But Everyone Should At Least Be Able To Log On, He Was Told, According To Several Aides.”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

“The Governor Ended The Call, Said John Griffin, His Chief Of Staff, Saying The State Should Move Forward.’”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

“But Two Days Later, Griffin Requested That A Roomful Of Aides To The Governor And Brown Vote On Whether To Proceed. Most Gave The Oct. 1 Launch A Green Light.”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

• In Endorsement Of His Gubernatorial Campaign, U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski Credited Brown For Making Sure Maryland’s ObamaCare Exchange Was “Ready To Go.” “On Oct. 1, while we’re fighting to save ObamaCare, we know that in Maryland we have a health exchange that’s ready to go because of Anthony Brown.”  (Michael Dresser, “Mikulski Backs Brown In Primary For Maryland Governor,” The Baltimore Sun, 9/22/13) 

“The Next Day, O’Malley Smiled As Obama Visited Prince George’s County And Praised State Leaders For Being Ready To Roll.”  (Aaron C. Davis and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Officials Were Warned For A Year Of Problems With Online Health-Insurance Site,” The Washington Post, 1/11/14)

The O’Malley-Brown Exchange Has Been A “Fiasco” That Is Costing Taxpayers Tens Of Millions

The “Defective” Exchange Is Estimated To Cost Maryland Taxpayers $30.5 Million Because It Is “Plagued By Computer Problems.” (“Report: Health Exchange Glitch Could Cost $30.5M,” Associated Press, 2/27/14)

“A Variety Of System Architectural Flaws” Has Resulted In Medicaid Payments Going To Ineligible People, Costing The State Tens Of Millions Of Dollars.  (“Report: Health Exchange Glitch Could Cost $30.5M,” Associated Press, 2/27/14) 

The “Fiasco” Has Left The State With No Choice But To Seek $33 Million In Federal Funds That Were Supposed To Be Spent In Future Years.  (Mary Pat Flaherty and Jenna Johnson, “Maryland Fires Contractor That Built Troubled Health Insurance Exchange,” The Washington Post, 2/24/14)

Last Week, The Federal Inspector General Launched A “First Of Its Kind Probe” Into What Went Wrong

A Federal Inspector General Is Probing What Went Wrong In Maryland, The First Examination Of Its Kind To Be Revealed Publicly. “A federal inspector general is launching a review into what went wrong with Maryland’s health insurance exchange, the first examination focused specifically on how millions of dollars in federal money was spent by the state, according to the lawmaker who requested the probe.” (John Fritze, “Federal Inspector To Audit Maryland Health Exchange,” The Baltimore Sun, 3/9/14)

“A Major Embarrassment For Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley And Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown”

The Washington Post: “The Exchange Has Become A Major Embarrassment For Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley.” “Costs were outlined Thursday in a routine budget review presented to state lawmakers after months of outrage and political finger-pointing over the health-exchange debacle. Hopes of developing a site that would be a model for the nation have melted away as the exchange has become a major embarrassment for Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown.” (Jenna Johnson and Mary Pat Flaherty, “Maryland Begins To Put A Price On Health-Care Exchange Debacle,” The Washington Post, 2/27/14)

Maryland’s ObamaCare Exchange Problems May Likely Tarnish The “Political Image Of Gov. Martin O’Malley.” “The troubles hitting Maryland’s health exchange could have a lasting impact by tarnishing the political image of Gov. Martin O’Malley and his handpicked successor, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, according to experts assessing elections in 2014 and beyond. For O’Malley, who is contemplating a White House bid, the crisis could test his credentials as a data-driven and technologically savvy leader. Brown, who made his leadership on health care reform a selling point in his candidacy for governor, risks being overshadowed by O’Malley in publicizing efforts to repair the website.” (Erin Cox, “Faltering Exchange Could Mean Trouble For O’Malley, Brown,” Baltimore Sun, 12/24/13)

ObamaCare Will Cut 48% Of Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries In Maryland

ObamaCare Projected To Cut $106 Million From Maryland’s Medicare Advantage.  (Robert A. Book, Ph.D. and James C. Capretta, “Reductions In Medicare Advantage Payments: The Impact On Seniors By Region,” Heritage Foundation, 9/14/10; Image)

ObamaCare Projected To Reduce Medicare Advantage Recipients In Maryland By 37,370 (48%).  (Robert A. Book, Ph.D. and James C. Capretta, “Reductions In Medicare Advantage Payments: The Impact On Seniors By Region,” Heritage Foundation, 9/14/10; Image)

ObamaCare Projected To Reduce Medicare Advantage Spending Per Beneficiary In Maryland By $1,368.  (Robert A. Book, Ph.D. and James C. Capretta, “Reductions In Medicare Advantage Payments: The Impact On Seniors By Region,” Heritage Foundation, 9/14/10; Image)

Medicare Advantage Rolls May Be Cut By As Many As 7 Million Nationwide Under ObamaCare. “As for people getting to keep their health insurance plan, Foster’s office is projecting that more than 7 million Medicare recipients in private Medicare Advantage plans will eventually have to find other coverage, cutting enrollment in the plans by about half.”  (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “Medicare Official Doubts Health Care Law Savings,” The Associated Press, 1/26/11)

The CBO Says ObamaCare Will Reduce Full-Time Equivalent Employees By 2.5 Million People

CBO: ObamaCare Will Reduce The Number Of Full-Time Equivalent Workers By Roughly 2.5 Million People Through 2024. “CBO’s updated estimate of the decrease in hours worked translates to a reduction in full-time-equivalent employment of 2.0 million in 2017, rising to about 2.5 million in 2024, compared with what would have occurred in the absence of the ACA.” (“The Budget And Economic Outlook: 2014 To 2024,” Congressional Budget Office, 2/4/14)

Analysis From CBO’s Projections Found Maryland Could Lose Nearly 48,000 Jobs

Americans For Tax Reform: ObamaCare Could Cost Maryland 47,719 Jobs.  (“How Many Jobs Might ObamaCare Cost Your State?” Americans For Tax Reform, 2/5/14)

Broken Promises: Insurance Premiums Set To Skyrocket

President Obama: Insurance Premiums “Will Go Down.” “President Obama has embraced the phrase ‘Obamacare,’ once originally intended as an epithet by the heath-care law’s opponents, but we were a bit surprised the other day when he declared that health insurance premiums were going to go down.” (Glenn Kessler, “President Obama’s Claim That Insurance Premiums ‘Will Go Down,’” The Washington Post, 8/10/12)

President Obama: “We’re Going To Work With You To Lower Your Premiums By $2,500 Per Family Per Year.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 2/27/08)

The Hill Headline: “O-Care Premiums To Skyrocket.” “Health industry officials say ObamaCare-related premiums will double in some parts of the country, countering claims recently made by the administration.” (Elise Viebeck, “O-Care Premiums To Skyrocket,” The Hill, 3/19/14)

“Report: Premiums Rising Faster Than Eight Years Before ObamaCare COMBINED.” “Health insurance premiums have risen more after Obamacare than the average premium increases over the eight years before it became law…” (Sarah Hurtubise, “Report: Premiums Rising Faster Than Eight Years Before ObamaCare COMBINED,” The Daily Caller, 3/18/14)