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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" Joedonnelly/85c4788aa9a0b652910e5d834a83799f.jpg\\") ![](\\" Joedonnelly/0d9627b1c7d6322de89f94b51462c4e8.jpg\\") Joe Donnelly stated on October 8, 2018 in Indiana Senate debate: \"At (Mike Braun’s) company, the deductible on his health care is $10,000.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" mostly-true/4ac7c61540eff5211f6a04d98a6bc93a.jpg.\\") ![\\"mostly- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") * National * Health Care * Joe Donnelly ![\\"Mike](\\" Mike Braun, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Indiana, speaks during a debate against Libertarian Lucy Brenton and Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly on Oct. 8, 2018, in Westville, Ind. ![\\"Manuela](\\" By Manuela Tobias October 11, 2018 # Are Mike Braun\'s employees on the hook for first $10,000 of health care? Incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly painted himself as a guardian of health insurance and Republican opponent Mike Braun as its main threat during their first debate. \"I was the final vote to save health care,\" Donnelly said of his opposition to the so-called skinny repeal of the Affordable Care Act. \"At (Braun’s) company, the deductible on his health care if $10,000, which is completely unaffordable. He has every time tried to take away pre-existing conditions coverage and supports the lawsuit today that would do that.\" Braun did not respond to the attack in the debate, but in his rebuttal he said he \"took on health care\" and \"held premiums for 10 years while covering pre-existing conditions.\" We rated Mostly True an earlier claim from Donnelly that Braun supported ending coverage for pre-existing conditions. But when it comes to his business, Meyer Distributing, does Braun charge $10,000 deductibles? Meyer Distributing is an auto parts distribution company. According to Braun’s campaign, the company had 452 employees in Indiana as of April. The majority make between $10 and $17 an hour. The employee benefits enrollment guide from 2018 confirms family deductibles are $10,000, and $5,000 for individuals. The health plan is valid from March 1, 2018, to Feb. 28, 2019. We were unable to find any other health plans offered, and the Braun campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Meyer offers a high-deductible health plan. That means that health care costs are absorbed by the employee until they reach that set limit (of $5,000 or $10,000). Doctor’s office visits, prescriptions and emergency room visits are not covered until then. Preventive care costs, on the other hand, are fully covered regardless of whether the deductible has been met. Those include annual preventive physicals and tests, routine prenatal care, immunizations, and screening services. The individual deductible roughly doubles national averages, according to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation published on Oct. 3. The 2018 average for individuals was $2,349 and $4,676 for families. Meyer’s plan is still within the limits set by the Affordable Care Act, which caps out-of- pocket costs at $7,350 for an individual plan and $14,700 for a family. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 11, 2024 in an Instagram post \"Debate moderators made the false claim to Donald Trump that there is nowhere in the United States where abortion is legal up until birth.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • September 13, 2024 Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said that on average, employers that offer such plans contribute more than $1,000 to employees’ health savings accounts. We found no indication in the guide whether Meyer contributes or not. Premiums at Meyer, however, were lower than the national average. That’s the money employees pay for health care coverage with each paycheck, if enrolled. Workers pay $34.30 biweekly in premiums for individuals, or $198.44 for the employee, spouse and children, which translates to $891.80 and $5,159.44 a year, respectively. The national average worker contribution to the premium is $1,074 for individuals and $4,631 for families. Braun said he has held premiums steady for 10 years. Individual premiums are lower at Meyer than the national average dating back to 2010. Average premiums have been increasing each year, so keeping premiums steady for 10 years would be unusual, according to Pollitz. \"Firms have been moderating premium increases by shifting more costs to workers in the form of deductibles,\" Pollitz said. \"That’s a good deal for the worker as long as they don’t get sick, hurt or pregnant.\" Our ruling Donnelly said, \"At (Braun’s) company, the deductible on his health care is $10,000.\" The high-deductible health plan Braun offered full-time employees in 2018 had deductibles of $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for families. We rate this statement Mostly True. Share the Facts 2018-10-11 14:39:50 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" 5 1 7 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" mostlytrue.jpg\\") PolitiFact Rating: Mostly True \"At (Mike Braun’s) company, the deductible on his health care is $10,000.\" Joe Donnelly U.S. Senator from Indiana ![](\\" In a debate Monday, October 8, 2018 2018-10-08 Read More info #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources C-SPAN, Indiana Senate Debate, Oct. 8, 2018 Kaiser Family Foundation, 2018 Employer Health Benefits Survey, Oct. 3, 2018 CNN, Health care takes center stage in midterms fight -- and Republicans are on the defensive, Sept. 26, 2018 Politico, \'It was not real insurance\', Oct. 5, 2018 Email interview with Kate Oehl, campaign spokeswoman for Donnelly, Oct. 9, 2018 Phone interview with Karen Pollitz, Kaiser Family Foundation senior fellow, Oct. 10, 2018 Meyer 2018 employee benefits enrollment guide Healthcare.gov, Out of pocket maximum Healthcare.gov, Affordable coverage ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Manuela Tobias ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") TheLastLineOfDefense.org stated on January 12, 2019 in a post on Facebook: \"Nancy Pelosi Removed From Benefit for ‘Being So Drunk She Couldn’t Stand Up’ \" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • January 23, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on January 19, 2019 in In a blog post: \"Pelosi’s Secret Overseas Mission Included 93 Family Members\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • January 23, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on January 8, 2019 in a televised speech: Says Sen. Charles Schumer \"repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected president.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • January 9, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on January 8, 2019 in a televised speech: \"At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • January 9, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Swalwell stated on November 12, 2018 in a tweet: \"15,000 troops will not see their families for #Thanksgiving because of @realDonaldTrump’s Scaravan Stunt. Oh yeah, it’s also costing you 200 million dollars.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • November 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on November 12, 2018 in in a tweet: \"Nearly 200,000 Florida voters may not be citizens.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Amy Sherman • November 13, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party stated on November 1, 2018 in a Facebook ad: \"Attention hunters: Voting in North Dakota could cost you your out-of-state hunting licenses.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • November 2, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on October 26, 2018 in a campaign rally: \"The Democrat plan would just obliterate Medicare and terminate Medicare Advantage ... seniors who have been paying for this for years (and) will not be taken care of anymore.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • November 2, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kevin Cramer stated on October 26, 2018 in U.S. Senate debate: \"Protections on pre-existing conditions have been there since the 1970s.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • November 1, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on October 24, 2018 in a digital ad: \"We know dangerous criminals can slip through immigration at airports just like ours. Yet Joe Donnelly stood right here with the radical left against all efforts to secure our most vulnerable entry points.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • October 26, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Future45 stated on October 16, 2018 in a campaign ad: Voting for \"any Democrat\" gets you \"socialism ... undefended open borders ... immediate tax increases ... 100 percent government-run health care ...\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 24, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kevin Cramer stated on October 18, 2018 in North Dakota Senate debate: \"The standard of voting in North Dakota is the easiest in the country.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 23, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Senate Leadership Fund stated on October 11, 2018 in a campaign ad: \"Washington Heidi supports sanctuary cities, where illegal immigrants can be released on our streets, like this criminal, who was let go and then sexually assaulted a child.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 19, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on October 9, 2018 in blog post: \"Indiana has purged no less than 20,000 voters in violation of a federal court order.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" National Taxpayers Union stated on October 10, 2018 in Washington Examiner op-ed: \"The latest round of tariffs now means that the total tax increase on Americans from enacted tariffs exceeds the tax increases from the Affordable Care Act.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 12, 2018 ### Are Mike Braun\'s employees on the hook for first $10,000 of health care? * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 27, 2024 in a video: Shows video of damage from Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 28, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on September 22, 2024 in una publicación enTikTok: En el sur de Filadelfia, la campaña de Kamala Harris “está pagando a la gente $700 por semana para viajar y asistir a todos sus eventos”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 25, 2024 in an Instagram post: Hurricane Helene was the product of intentional weather modification. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a post: Video shows footage of Hurricane Helene ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Vote No on 3 stated on September 7, 2024 in a TV ad: Florida’s Amendment 3 is “the monopoly amendment.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Jared Moskowitz stated on September 19, 2024 in una audiencia en la Cámara de Representantes: “El Proyecto 2025 quiere deshacerse de la NOAA” y del Servicio Nacional de Meteorología. ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Maria Briceño • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 24, 2024 in social media posts: Vice President Kamala Harris responded, “Next question please,” when asked about the economy during an Aug. 29 CNN interview. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Threads posts stated on September 18, 2024 in a Threads post: Melania Trump “was an escort.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 23, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Serena Williams reportedly passes away following tragic car crash in Texas.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Elon Musk silences Taylor Swift: Shocking ban wipes out 1 million followers and costs her a staggering $72 million!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 27, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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At Mike Braun’s company the deductible on his health care is 10000