After reading the article in the Independent last week titled “Anthem Blue Cross Pulling Out of Santa Barbara,” it is clear to see that the Affordable Care Act is failing right before our eyes.

Anthem Blue Cross is pulling out of California’s individual markets, which will affect over 44,000 people throughout Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties. Since these counties will only have Blue Shield health care available to them now, it is common sense that premiums will increase due to lack of competition in the health-care marketplace.

Congressmember Salud Carbajal, as he always does, points the finger at the president and the Republicans for this failed health-care law. What he fails to mention is the ACA (Affordable Care Act) was a terrible law with numerous flaws. Since the ACA was implemented, we have seen premiums skyrocket and rising deductibles, which are hurting middle-class families throughout the Central Coast.

Across the country, more than 1,000 counties are down to only on insurer, and five entire states have just a single company selling through the exchanges. The only people who won with the ACA were the government bureaucrats and contractors who were paid millions of dollars to put up faulty websites and ineffective advertising campaigns.

As Carbajal’s boss Nancy Pelosi stated, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”. Well we have seen what’s in it, and the people of California do not like what they see. Rep. Salud Carbajal and the Democratic Party have to own their flawed bill, and we need to hold them accountable for it in the 2018 elections. California residents cannot continue down this road with the ACA. We need a better option for health care.

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