Trump: ‘My employees are having a tremendous problem with Obamacare’

By Julia Manchester, Ashley Killough and Jeremy Diamond

CNN

Donald Trump told a Florida crowd Tuesday his employees were having issues with Obamacare, which is being rocked by skyrocketing premiums.

“I can say that all of my employees are having a tremendous problem with Obamacare,” Trump said. “What they’re going through with their health care is horrible because of Obamacare, so we’ll repeal it and replace it.”

The Republican presidential nominee’s comments come one day after a government report revealed premiums are set to rise an average of 22% for the benchmark silver place in 2017. The plan will cost an average of $296 a month next year.

His comments sparked questions about whether Trump’s employees receive insurance through Obamacare. When asked by a member of the media whether his employees got insurance from the Trump organization, Trump replied, “Some of them, most of them, no.”

Clarifying Trump’s remarks, the general manager of Trump’s property in Doral, David Feder, said,”99% of our employees are ensured through our hotel.”

Feder added that all of his employees who work more than 30 hours a week are eligible for the company’s private health insurance plan and that he presumed only part-time or seasonal workers would have to go through Obamacare exchanges. He said the company “picks up 70% of premiums.”

Trump claimed in his remarks to reporters that the White House was low balling the increases.

“The White House, our president, announced twenty-five, twenty-six percent,” Trump said referring to premium increases. “That number is so wrong. That is such a phony number. You’re talking about sixty. seventy, eighty percent in increases, not 25%.”

Trump also cited state-wide premium increases.

“The numbers came out in Texas where it’s 60% increases, and other places, other states. One state’s going to to be 92% increases. You put out a 25%, 26% increase and that’s supposed to keep it down.”