I have the privilege of serving as the Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health. In my position I consistently see how rising health care costs are affecting millions of Americans – individuals and families, as well as employers and the government.

Unfortunately, the health care overhaul passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama last year fails to seriously address the problem of rising costs. In fact, nonpartisan analysts have found that the new health care law will increase the total cost of health care in the United States and increase health insurance premiums for people who buy their own coverage. These increases are on top of the continued inflation of medical costs that would have been expected to occur without the new law. The so-called “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (PPACA) also raises taxes by over half a trillion dollars, increases the cost for employers to create jobs, cuts Medicare in ways that will make it increasingly difficult for many seniors to get access to quality care, and erodes our constitutional freedoms by forcing everyone to buy government-approved health insurance.

I believe we must repeal PPACA in its entirety. This 2700-page law is too deeply flawed, and its provisions too thoroughly intertwined, to be fixed or salvaged. While a full repeal is necessary, however, it is not sufficient. Congress must also replace the President’s plan with real reforms that will actually bring down health costs, such as reining in frivolous medical lawsuits and increasing competition by allowing individuals and small businesses to purchase health insurance across state lines. We also need to address the very real problem of access to health care for people with pre-existing medical conditions, without resorting to new taxes or mandates. I have personally introduced legislation that would accomplish these goals. Repealing PPACA and replacing it with reforms that work will be one of my top priorities in Congress.

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