Giving Americans Relief from High Health Costs and Too Few Choices
The Health Care Choices proposal:
A plan offered by the Health Policy Consensus Group
Poll after poll shows that health care continues to be a major issue with voters.
- Millions are suffering under Obamacare’s high premiums and unaffordable deductibles. Families were promised they would save $2,500 a year in premium cost, but instead average premiums doubled in Obamacare’s first four years with many facing even higher increases.
- In more than half of the counties in the U.S., people searching for insurance in the individual market have a “choice” of only one plan.
State Sen. Bryce Reeves of Virginia recently received an email from one of his constituents saying his health insurance premiums are more than $4,000 a month for his family and that there is only one carrier offering coverage where he lives. Health insurance costs consume half of his income. “What am I supposed to do?” he asked.
Many Republican candidates feel they are on the defensive in offering solutions after Congress failed to pass repeal and replace legislation last year.
A reporter asked a junior House member what he tells his constituents he will do to lower their health costs: “I don’t have an answer,” he said.
The Health Care Choices plan provides an answer, complementing actions already taken in Congress and by the administration.
Actions so far
- The Trump administration is doing all it can through its existing regulatory powers to give people relief—including creating Association Health Plans so people can buy insurance across state lines.It also has revived and improved short-term limited duration plans—the new Freedom Option. These policies will give people more choices at lower costs because the plans don’t have to comply with Obamacare’s onerous and expensive mandates.
- And Congress has helped, too, including repealing the individual mandate, delaying some taxes, and, most recently, passing HSA reform in the House.
Relief Requires Congressional Action
After last year’s attempts to pass reform, some are saying Obamacare will collapse if we do nothing. But that is not the case. Obamacare’s new entitlements allow an open-ended call on taxpayer dollars, even though the law has broken its promises of providing universal coverage, lowering costs, and allowing people to keep their plans and their doctors.
- Vulnerable Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions, will be protected.
- States will have new resources and new powers to approve plans that lower costs and increase choices
- Patients will have many more choices of plans they can afford.
- Patients and doctors will regain control over health care decisions.
- Instead of deciding whether to put millions more people on Medicaid, states will be able to focus on giving their citizens more options of private health coverage and making sure that lower-income and vulnerable citizens are protected.
- The plan provides a stronger safety net than Obamacare does for high risk and high cost patients.
- Taxpayers will be shielded from Obamacare’s unlimited call on tax dollars.
While the administration’s regulatory actions are important, Congress must take action for real reform to be implemented to usher in a new generation of patient-centered health reform.
A New Generation of Health Reform
A number of conservative leaders from across the country—the Health Policy Consensus Group— worked to develop a new generation of health reform ideas. The plan would provide more choices of more affordable options for Americans struggling under the high costs and limited choices of Obamacare. Importantly, this plan has the support of scores of grassroots groups, state leaders, and citizens groups who are ready to help in getting it passed.
The plan is a genuine federalist approach that moves power and control of our health sector away from Washington, through the states, and ultimately to consumers.
- The plan is grounded in the principles of federalism and respect for consumer choice and market dynamics.
- Individuals and families want to be able to control their Health Care Choices, with the states as the primary organizers of health coverage, but with new guidelines and new resources to protect the vulnerable and assist those who need help in purchasing insurance.
The Health Care Choices proposal would help small group and individual markets heal from the assault of Obamacare, revive competition, and give people choices of coverage they can afford.
Please Visit: HealthCareChoices2020.orgClick to Jump
for more about the plan, the list of supporters, and testimonials.