Healthcare

A few days ago, millions of Americans learned that Obamacare would cost them even more money next year, directly impacting their ability to manage and budget their household expenses. The Obama Administration released a report that showed a 25% average increase for benchmark plans which, as we all know, dominated the news outlets for days. Here in North Carolina, the average year-over-year increase is 40%. In Pennsylvania, its 43% and if you reside in Arizona, the average increase is a whopping 116%. Read more

As I began my professional career as a surgical intensive care nurse, I quickly learned that success in the high pressure environment of intensive care was achieved as a team. The nurses, doctors, and other health care providers – all pulled together to devise and execute a care plan for the patient. Three months into my first term as your representative in Congress we saw massive destruction from tornadoes and this same team approach to serving constituents became very clear. No member of Congr... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release after introducing The Consumer Healthcare Insurance Transparency Act of 2016: “Patients deserve to know how the policies enacted in this administration will affect their family budgets. CMS owes it to our citizens to be transparent about premium increases so they can plan for their family’s financial and healthcare needs. It is also crucial that they have this information prior to Election Day so they can make an informe... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release after House Republicans introduced their proposal for repealing and replacing Obamacare, strengthening Medicare, and providing more healthcare choices at a lower cost to patients. “I first decided to run for office back in 2010 after hearing about the president’s proposed takeover of our healthcare system. Having served as a nurse, I knew how detrimental Obamacare would be to patients and families and the severe impact i... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release after the House Energy & Commerce Committee passed H.R. 2646 – the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. "Today, the Energy & Commerce Committee made significant progress in addressing the broken mental health system that exists in our country. “This groundbreaking legislation that I co-sponsored, H.R. 2646 – the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act – is the first of its kind. This legislation implements ... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release after supporting H.R. 897, the Zika Vector Control Act which will remove duplicative and costly requirements that are creating barriers to public health and obstructing the fight against the Zika virus. “Today the House is helping local and state governments prepare for the summer months – a time when mosquito season is at its peak and Americans are most at risk for contracting the Zika virus. Under current law, municipa... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release after becoming an original sponsor of Rep. Lois Capps’ legislation, the Safe Treatments and Opportunities to Prevent (STOP) Pain Act. The STOP Pain Act authorizes the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to boost clinical research in order to develop alternatives to opioids and to begin developing therapies for pain management. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) “The opioid epidemic has reached new proportions across our nation... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release following introduction of H.R. 5045 –Preserving Access to Modern Prosthetic Limbs Act of 2016. “In July of 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidelines that would severely restrict access to prosthetic care for Medicare beneficiaries. As the representative of Fort Bragg, and the 2nd District, I represent thousands of veterans and senior citizens who would be adversely affected by this decisio... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below statement following introduction of the Flexibility in Electronic Health Record (EHR) Reporting Act in both the House and Senate chambers. This bipartisan and bicameral legislation will provide greater flexibility for health care providers who are working to comply with harsh health IT reporting requirements. Original co-sponsors of this legislation include Senator Bennet, Dr. Price, Reps. Blackburn, Kind, Rush and Matsui. Congr... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 4778 the Title X Transparency Act. “Today’s legislation directs the nonpartisan, independent investigative arm of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, to conduct a comprehensive study of how Title X funding is used by healthcare facilities, including Planned Parenthood. This study will be an important tool in discovering how taxpayer dollars are used and which medical services ar... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below statement in response to the proposed changes to Medicare Part B’s drug-pricing payment model, as announced by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). “This recent proposal from the Administration demonstrates, yet again, why Washington shouldn’t be in the business of making healthcare decisions for families and senior citizens. CMS’ most recent payment model proposal affecting Medicare Part B drugs has the potenti... Read more

Congresswoman Ellmers joins Bill LuMaye on WPFT to discuss workable alternatives to Obamacare, the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia and the importance of a Republican president and Senate majority to the Supreme Court appointment process. Click here to listen. Read more

Republican U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers urged a Fayetteville audience of largely women Monday night to reach out to their congressional senators to advocate for that legislative body's version of the 21st Century Cures Act. Ellmers, who is from Dunn and represents North Carolina's Second Congressional District, has called funding for research at the National Institutes of Health a priority to find solutions to move health care forward in the form of cures. She told the audience of more than 350 peop... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release following House consideration of the veto on H.R. 3762 - Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act. This legislation repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood was passed by Congress in December and sent to the president’s desk. "Back in December, for the first time ever, Congress sent a bill straight to the president’s desk that would have repealed Obamacare and defunded Planned Parenthood. To... Read more

Congresswoman Ellmers joins Goldy on Good Morning Fayetteville to discuss President Obama's last State of the Union address and various issues including healthcare, the economy, immigration and defunding of Planned Parenthood. Interview Part 1 Interview Part 2 Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the statement below following the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) releasing final recommendations on mammography screenings for women between the age of 40 and 49 years old. “Early this week the USPSTF’s finalized breast cancer screening recommendations, which suggest that women under the age of 50 are less likely to benefit from mammograms. Forseeing this as a problem, I worked with my colleague Debbie Wasserman Schultz on... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this evening following President Obama's State of the Union address to Congress: “To date, I have witnessed each of the president’s State of the Union addresses, and each of them reiterates the same thing: big promises for a bigger government in attempts to leave President Obama with an even bigger legacy. “The president came in 8 years ago promising hope and change, but he instead leaves us with a checklist of m... Read more

The Dunn Daily Record By Oonagh McQuarrie Monday, January 11, 2016 “Not only do we want to see the Affordable Care Act changed, but we want to show the American people what our plan for an alternative is. For the first time, we’ll have a hard copy to show the American people,” she said. “We’ve talked about alternatives, and we know theoretically that there are better ways of funding health care and paying for insurance, and now we’ll actually be able give them a product they can read and see ...... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the below release following House passage of H.R. 3762 - Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act. This is the Senate-passed reconciliation bill which will send a repeal of Obamacare straight to the president’s desk: “Since I was first elected to represent the 2nd District, I have promised to work for a repeal of Obamacare. My Republican Colleagues and I have assured Americans that we would slash the national deficit, pu... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the following release after passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which is legislation to fund the government for 1-year. Included in this legislation is the extension of numerous tax provisions that, without Congressional renewal, would have expired. “Today’s funding bill provides some certainty while also lessening tax burdens on North Carolina small businesses, farmers and families. This bill makes several tax provisions perm... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following after passage of S. 2425, the Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act. The package includes similar language based on Dr. Price’s bill, H.R. 3940, the Meaningful Use Hardship Relief Act, a policy that Congresswoman Ellmers is proud to cosponsor. This package also references related language authored by Congresswoman Ellmers in the Flex-IT 2 Act, which provides hardship exemptions to physicians and hospitals that encount... Read more

The Asheboro Courier-Tribune By Congresswoman Renee Ellmers Wednesday, December 16, 2015 This year has been busy on all fronts. I have worked alongside my colleagues to restore fiscal sanity, place checks on the president’s imperialistic tendencies and uphold our number one responsibility: to defend this nation against all enemies foreign and domestic. As a representative and a registered nurse, I have a responsibility to care for the vulnerable. As a conservative, I have an obligation to strea... Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following release after introduction of H.R. 4153 – the Educating to Prevent Eating Disorders Act. This legislation will be reviewed in an Energy & Commerce Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, December 9, 2015, at 10:00 am in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled “Examining Legislation to Improve Health Care and Treatment.” “Through my experience as a nurse, I recognize – and have witnessed— the serious implications that ste... Read more

On Monday, Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) joined Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23) in sending a bipartisan letter to Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone to encourage a hearing on H.R. 3339, the PALS Act. Signing onto this letter in support includes Representatives Alcee Hastings (D-FL-20), Katherine Clark (D-MA-05), Ann Wagner (R-MO-02), and Christopher Smith (R-NJ-04): "With several conflicting breast cancer screening recommendations in existence to date, the general public... Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) joined Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23) in writing a letter to Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone, encouraging the Energy & Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on H.R. 3339, the PALS Act, which would place a two-year moratorium on the implementation of the USPSTF’s breast cancer screening recommendations. Given the conflicting breast cancer screening recommendations in existence to date, a discussion hosted by the Committee among patient gro... Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 3762, Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act: “Today’s budget reconciliation is exactly the type of responsible governing that our constituents sent us to Washington implement. Today’s budget will reduce the deficit by more than $129 billion over the next 10 years and includes components to dismantle Obamacare, protect taxpayer dollars and move us toward real, patient-centered h... Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after Congressional Leaders signed H.R. 1735, the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and sent it to the president’s desk: “After months of hard work and bipartisan collaboration among members of the House and Senate, an agreement was reached on this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). While this legislation received broad bipartisan support from Conference committee members, and meets th... Read more

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the following statement after the American Cancer Society (ACS) released new breast cancer screening guidelines today: Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: “As a nurse I appreciate the American Cancer Society’s guideline recommendations they released today, as it is a clear indication that women in their 40s do benefit from annual mammograms. However, given the variance in screening recommendations among Women’s Health Groups and Cancer Organizat... Read more

Representatives Ellmers, Price, Scott and 113 Members Lead a Letter to HHS and OMB Administrators Urging Delay of Stage 3, the Meaningful Use Proposed Rule WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after leading a letter with Dr. Price and Representative Scott to Director Shaun Donovan at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Secretary Sylvia Burwell at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This letter, signed by 116 members of Cong... Read more

As the rhetoric heats up over Planned Parenthood, it is critical that women retain access to quality health care. Fortunately, there are other accessible and affordable facilities that provide lifesaving health care to women. While Congress works to get to the bottom of how taxpayer dollars are used at Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide, lawmakers still have the responsibility to ensure that women’s health needs are met. Contrary to rhetoric, women’s health care doesn’t have to be sacrific... Read more

The Dunn Daily Record - "We believe that over time if we can come up with a cure for these diseases, we will save money," Ellmers said. Read more

“Today’s legislation is key to supplying healthcare providers with flexibility and certainty, as they struggle yet again to meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) stringent requirements pertaining to Meaningful Use. This legislation supplies relief by delaying Stage 3 rulemaking until at least 2017 in order to give providers time to breathe and a reprieve from the unfair penalties.” Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the following statement after introducing H.R. 3339 – the Protect Access to Lifesaving Screenings (PALS) Act. Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: “As a nurse who practiced for more than 21 years, I understand the significance of preventative medicine. Mammography screenings are one of the most important ways we can encourage prevention and help save lives. This is just one reason why today’s legislation is so important, and I’m grateful for the opportunity t... Read more

Rep. Ellmers Has 3 Provisions within The 21st Century Cures Act, A Year-Long Health Initiative That Will Accelerate the Discovery, Development and Delivery of Treatments and Cures for Patients Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that federal tax credits are available for enrollees living in states with their own exchanges and those in the 34 states with federal exchanges Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after sending a letter to Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi, expressing concerns regarding a proposed budget offset that would impact the Medicare Part D program. Read more

An amendment introduced by Rep. Renee Ellmers to help combat human trafficking was signed into law by President Barack Obama on May 29. The Awareness Training for Health Care Act, which is an amendment to the Justice for Victims of Human Trafficking Act, focuses on adding sex trafficking training to medical and nursing schools. The goal of the training is to help healthcare professionals spot victims of human sex trafficking. Ellmers said the signing of her amendment was a "significant and proud... Read more

This week, we Take 5 with Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, who represents the 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives, about a number of legislative issues. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement regarding H.R. 1348, the Health Insurance Freedom Act of 2015. Read more

There's no time to waste. The Senate JVTA represents real and significant progress in our fight to address domestic human trafficking. After several years of working together to get this legislation through the House and Senate, we are just one step away from making it law. Advocates and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have come together to elevate the rights of survivors and bring justice and healing to victims of human trafficking all across the United States. It is now time for the House to finish the job by taking up and passing the Senate bill without further delay. Survivors are counting on them. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after supporting H.R. 2029, the FY16 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill: Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following after joining House and Senate leaders today as they signed bipartisan legislation that will strengthen Medicare, guarantee seniors' access to their doctors and save taxpayers billions: Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the below statement following the Associated Press report showing stagnant wait times at VA facilities in the South: Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after learning that CMS proposed to shorten the EHR reporting period to 90 days following recommendations as outlined in her legislation, H.R. 270 – The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015 Read more

Five years ago this week, President Obama signed his broken healthcare proposal into law. At the time, I was a nurse working long hours and late nights with my husband at our small practice in Dunn, North Carolina. Fast forward five years later, and this unworkable law has neither cut costs nor improved the quality of or access to healthcare. In short, it is just as big of a costly disaster as I knew it would be when President Obama first proposed it. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon after reintroducing H.R. 1416 – The Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2015: Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon after reintroducing H.R. 1387 – The Fairness for Farmers Act of 2015: Read more

Over the last 12 years, Congress has spent nearly $150 billion crafting makeshift provisions in an effort to patch a problem that is in dire need of more than just a temporary Band-Aid. Without question, the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) is one of the biggest challenges facing the Medicare system to date, and Congress' failure to pass a permanent fix to SGR has had considerable consequences on our nation's seniors and physicians. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 1018 – The Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015. Read more

U.S. Reps. Renee Ellmers and G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina introduced a bill on Friday that would streamline the approval process for vaccines. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 786 – The Vaccine Access, Certainty, and Innovation Act of 2015. Read more

H.R. 596 Repeals the President's Failed Signature Healthcare Law and Will Replace It with Patient-Centered Reforms Read more

Today CMS Announced Their Intent to Modify Strict Reporting Requirements in the Meaningful Use Attestation Program–Shortening the Reporting Period to 90 Days Read more

A bill introduced by Rep. Renee Ellmers to help health care workers recognize the signs of human trafficking got quick approval in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23) released the following statement this afternoon after introducing H.R. 398 – Trafficking Awareness Training for Health Care Act of 2015: Read more

Originally Introduced in the 113th Congress, This Legislation Offers Flexibility for Health Care Providers Facing Significant Fines and Burdensome Deadlines Read more

Rep. Ellmers Unites 30 Members of Congress to Ensure Healthcare Providers Get Needed Relief from Meaningful Use Attestation Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the statement below following the five-year reauthorization of the EARLY Act, H.R. 5185, which passed the Senate on Monday. The EARLY Act was introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) in the House and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and David Vitter (R-LA). Read more

A Conference Call Took Place Earlier Today with North Carolina State and Federal Officials to Relay the Cohesive Plan in Place For Combatting Ebola Read more

H.R. 5481 Will Provide Flexibility for Health Care Providers Who Face Burdensome Restrictions and Fines Due to Harsh Health IT Reporting Requirements. Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 5481 - The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2014 this afternoon: Read more

When Obamacare was sold to the American people, it was sold under the guise it would improve our access to and quality of health care. It was relayed to us that this law would bring about fairness and equality to women. But the reality is that this law has failed us – and it has failed women in particular. Read more

Reports Reveal Healthcare.gov Website Hacked in July. In January, Ellmers Voted for Bill Requiring HHS to Notify Public of Hacks within 2 Days Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon following the ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals that the Affordable Care Act does not permit the IRS to distribute premium subsidies in the federal healthcare exchanges: Read more

Last week, Congresswoman Renee Ellmers met with the stars of TLC's "The Little Couple" to discuss Medicaid reform for children with rare diseases. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this morning following the audit of VA hospitals - which reported that the Fayetteville VA has the worst wait times in North Carolina: Read more

Medicare Advantage is under siege. For the past three years, the Obama administration has carried out an orchestrated attack on the funding for Medicare Advantage and the cost-saving mechanisms that have allowed it to provide important care for our seniors. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released a statement this afternoon following reports that Obamacare is hurting teachers in North Carolina: Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon after voting for H.R. 4015 - "The SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act." Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon after Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced the Obama administration will no longer proceed with their plan to fundamentally change Medicare Part D: Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this afternoon after introducing H.R. 4160 - "The Keep the Promise to Seniors Act of 2014:" Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following statement this evening after introducing the TIME Act: Read more

By Pam Rigaux, Frederick News-Post Republican Congresswoman Renee Ellmers said health care was the reason she ran against a seven-term Democratic incumbent...Ellmers and Republican Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler were the keynote speakers at the Republic Read more

It should be obvious by now that the president of the United States and his political allies are hoping to ride demonization of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's Medicare reform proposal all the way to electoral victory in November 2012. Following the president's April 13 campaign-style budget speech, in which he aimed his most intense partisan fire at the Ryan Medicare plan, the entire Democratic political machine has taken the cue and gotten cranked up. In recent days, the party's campaign committees began running attack ads against the Ryan plan -- a full year and a half before the next election. Professional agitators have been rounded up to heckle members of Congress in their districts. And a legion of administration apologists has filled the blogosphere and newspaper opinion pages with outrage -- outrage! -- at the "cruelty" of the Ryan plan. Read more

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R- NC2) released the following statement following the passage of H.R. 1217 today in the House of Representatives. This legislation repeals the slush fund created under ObamaCare that allowed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to spend $17 billion dollars without Congressional oversight. "Today's vote is a win for taxpayers who are tired of government bureaucrats who think they can spend our money better than American families. By eliminating this government... Read more

As a nurse of twenty years, wife of a surgeon and owner of a wound clinic, I am not only aware of the problems that currently exist in the American health care system -- I have seen them up close -- as a caregiver, a patient and a small business owner in the health care industry. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act -- ObamaCare. Unlike the remedy we were promised, Obamacare has done nothing to improve the quality of health care in our count... Read more