When Republicans talk about the supposedly dire effects of Obamacare, they often refer to health care premiums that keep on rising — and many journalists have followed their lead in using premiums as a shorthand for health care costs. But that's a serious mistake. Premium costs are only one component of total consumer costs.
When considering whether proposals to replace the Affordable Care Act are viable or achieve their stated goals, their effects on cost sharing must be taken into account, too. That's the proportion of health care spending by the consumer, as opposed to the insurance company.
