Statement

Americans overwhelmingly agree that health care reform is needed.

I support tort reform that would reduce the practice of defensive medicine; expanding low cost insurance options to small businesses; allowing cross-state line insurance purchases; preventing unjust insurance policy cancellations; and promoting preventative medicine. These proposals achieve reform without raising taxes, without imposing individual mandates, without expanding Medicaid, without creating new czars, and without making cuts to Medicare.

On March 21, 2010, the House passed the Senate health care bill, H.R. 3590, sending a comprehensive health care bill to the President’s desk for signature. The House also approved a package of changes to the Senate bill, called reconciliation that will have to be approved by the Senate before becoming law.

This bill is filled with $500 billion in tax increases, job killing mandates, $500 billion in Medicare cuts, bureaucrat additions, entitlement expansions, and backroom deals that will cost taxpayers millions. Experts agree that this bill will lead to higher health care premiums and a growth in long-term health care costs; the exact opposite of its intended goals.

Americans overwhelmingly agree that health care reform is needed; just not the current plan. I have presented an alternative reform approach, H.R. 3438, the “Access to Insurance for all Americans Act.” My bill would give Americans the opportunity to obtain the same health insurance that members of Congress have without job killing mandates, a massive price tag, or a government takeover.

Legislation

1. Rep. Issa's Health Care Proposal H.R. 3438 - "The Access to Insurance for All Americans Act"

• Every American should have access to the same quality health insurance that members of Congress have. The “Access to Insurance for all Americans Act,’’ H.R. 3438, gives Americans this access.
• Using the existing framework of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP), the “Access to Insurance for all Americans Act” gives Americans the opportunity to obtain the same health insurance that Members of Congress have.
• FEHBP currently has 14 national and over 310 state and/or regional health plans available to enrollees.
• This legislation would allow for a tax deduction equal to the amount paid for premiums during the taxable year for coverage for the taxpayer, spouse, and dependents.
• The coverage is portable, so employees can take their coverage with them when they change jobs.
• H.R. 3438 would minimize risk adjusted premiums making the plans more affordable and would be available to all regardless of pre-existing conditions.

2. H.R. 4872 - the Reconciliation Bill

• CBO cost estimate of the reconciliation package with the Senate bill
• Reconciliation and Senate bill by the numbers

3.  H.R. 4972 - to Repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

• I am a cosponsor of this legislation to repeal the government takeover of health care.

Rep. Issa's Actions

1. Issa introduces H.R. 3438 (see above)

2. Op-Eds

• • 3/21/10 - Health Care Bill Offers no Real Reform (NC Times)
  • 3/18/10 - The Lackluster Record of Government-Run Health Care (The Examiner)
  • 2/25/10 - Issa: Obama Must Push Tort Reform to Lower Health Costs (Roll Call)
  • 2/25/10 - Bipartisan Health Care Reform Must Include Tort reform (Politico)
  • 11/4/09 - Dem proposals: Legislative Delusion (Politico)
  • 9/16/09 – Presidential Lip Service to Choice and Competition (National Review Online)
  • 8/10/09 - Americans should get affordable, dependable care (NC Times)
  • 6/16/09 - Reform Is Needed, but Don’t Use Medicare Model (Roll Call)

3. Videos

• • Rep. Issa Responds to Health Care Takeover
  • Rep. Issa Attacks Kickbacks and Earmarks in the Democrats' Health Bill
  • The Issa Obama Congressional Option: A Health Care Miracle
  • 7 Simple Pages to Real Health Care Reform
  • Rep. Issa Floor Speech on Health Care

Pledges

• • Club for Growth Repeal It Pledge
  • Let Freedom Ring Pledge

Letters

• • 1/15/10 – Issa/Hunter to Leadership re:  Support Medicare Doctor Payments
  • 1/12/10 – Issa to Pelos re:  Scrap Reform and Support HR 3438
  • 10/6/09 – Issa to HHS re: Tort Reform
  • 9/25/09 – Issa and Congress to re: Oppose Medical Device Tax
  • 6/09 – Issa and Congress to Press re:  Taxing Employer Health Benefits