Hudson Supports Affordable, Market-Driven Health Care
March 22, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2017
Hudson Supports Affordable, Market-Driven Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08) released the following statement after the House passed common sense reform legislation to make health care more affordable and accessible:
“Reconciliation is a powerful legislative tool to essentially repeal Obamacare and overcome a Democratic filibuster in the Senate, but because of Senate rules, there are some reforms that can’t be included. Today we move legislation that is part of phase three of the process to repeal and replace Obamacare with a patient-centered, market-driven system. Today’s bills are a step in the right direction to harness the power of the free market and introduce more choice and competition to make health care more affordable and accessible for all.”
Today, the House passed the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (H.R. 372) to reform the McCarran-Ferguson Act to restore the application of federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance, in order to protect competition and consumers. In addition, the House passed the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 1101) which would allow for the establishment of Association Health Plans (AHPs), to allow small businesses to pool together to leverage lower cost health insurance on behalf of their employees. By creating larger insurance pools for small businesses, H.R. 1101 would make health insurance more accessible and affordable, and level the playing field between small businesses and large corporations.
As Congress and the administration work to rebuild our health care system, there will be a stable transition period so that no one slips through the cracks. This is a thoughtful, transparent and multi-step process with three overarching phases:
- Phase one: The American Health Care Act, which takes full advantage of the budget reconciliation process to avoid a Democratic filibuster.
- Phase two: Administration actions, notably by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, to stabilize the health insurance market, increase choices, and lower costs.
- Phase three: Additional legislative policies, such as allowing individuals to purchase coverage across state lines, that by Senate rules cannot be included in a reconciliation bill.
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Issues:Economy and JobsHealth Care