Mission accomplished, eh Barack?

(The Hill) — An annual survey found that premiums for employer-provided family plans increased by 9 percent — to $15,073 — in 2011.

The Obama administration quickly responded Tuesday to bad news about rising insurance premiums with a strong defense of the healthcare law and its benefits for consumers.

An annual survey of premiums found that the premiums for employer-provided family plans increased by 9 percent — to $15,073 — in 2011, leaving Democrats vulnerable to charges that the law isn’t working. The administration proactively responded with a post on the White House blog that went up as soon as the embargo on the annual Kaiser Family Foundation survey was lifted.

“The Kaiser report is informative,” writes deputy chief of staff Nancy-Ann DeParle, “but it’s a look backwards. When we look to the future, we know that the Affordable Care Act will help make insurance more affordable for families and businesses across the country.”