Our Plan for Affordable Healthcare

Statement

The beginning of the 115th Congress marks an exciting time for our country. On the very first day of the Congress, the first bill we passed was one that would keep admonishments given to poorly performing Department of Veterans Affairs employees (VA) employees on those individuals' records for the duration of their time at VA. Over the past two years, Congress has demonstrated a commitment to reforming VA so that it would perform in a way that meets the needs of the veteran, and I am proud that we will be continuing that work as we transition to a new administration

On the second day of the new Congress, the Republican Study Committee (RSC), of which I am a member, introduced our plan to repeal and replace Obamacare. Since its implementation into law, the so-called Affordable Care Act (ACA) has created giant increases in premiums and deductibles, forced insurers to withdraw from the markets, and limited choice and access to healthcare for hardworking American families.

When the current administration was selling the ACA to the American people, they promised a stark decrease in the cost of premiums per family. The number they touted was $2,500 per year, but that never happened. What actually did happen was the nearly 155 million Americans who receive employer-sponsored health care coverage saw their premiums increase by $4,300 annually.

The initial prognosis for the ACA may have been "bad," but now it has evolved from bad to worse. The current administration announced in October that there would be a sharp premium increase for coverage on the exchanges, nearly four times larger than had been expected.

While those who support the ACA try their hardest to salvage the failed law, RSC wants to replace it with free-market ideas that will increase and expand access to insurance, spur competition, and encourage innovation, representing an important step forward toward real, patient-centered health care reforms that Americans need and deserve.

Between solutions outlined in our Better Way agenda, including Medicare and Medicaid reforms, and the RSC proposal, House Republicans are working to fix one of the greatest blunders of the Obama Administration--its failed healthcare policy.

The vice president-elect came to the Capitol last week to outline the president-elect's commitment to repealing and replacing the ACA. They want to work with Congress to create a plan that will actually accomplish what the previous administration promised, such as lower premiums and deductibles and increased access to care. I will continue to keep you updated on the work we are doing to create a healthcare law that finally meets your needs.

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