Health care

Just how affordable is the Affordable Care Act?

For 2016, health insurance companies nationwide are seeking rate hikes approaching 54%, a staggering figure experts warn will have a significant impact on American families.  Here in North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield requests a 25.7% increase for customers covered under Obamacare, which is double last year’s 13.5% increase.

Constituents complain of higher premiums, steep rate hikes, reduced hours due to Obamacare restrictions, and tough choices between keeping your plan or keeping your doctor.

This is not the “hope and change” hardworking Americans were promised.

The Supreme Court’s decision in King v. Burwell to rewrite Obamacare confirms the legislation’s hasty, shoddy authorship.  Judicial activism to save a flawed bill is a Band-Aid and should not be considered a long-term solution.  President Obama claimed he would “work with anybody to implement and improve” Obamacare, but his repeated attempts to modify or delay portions of his health care law without Congressional input speak otherwise.

We must repeal and replace Obamacare with a truly affordable health care plan based on freedom of choice, protection for those with pre-existing conditions, and increased competition to lower costs for every American.

As a Member of the Republican Study Committee’s Steering Committee, I partnered with 31 colleagues this June to co-sponsor the American Health Care Reform Act (H.R. 2653), which would repeal Obamacare and replace it with a health care plan that puts patients first.  Utilizing the power of free market competition and consumer choice, the plan offers lower costs, smarter deductions, portability, and coverage for American citizens with pre-existing conditions.  The bill also creates a $25 billion risk pool for Americans who have difficulty getting insured and a $15 billion research pool to identify cures for major diseases.

By researching major diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes, American scientists and medical professionals continue to make major strides.  However, translating scientific discovery into medical innovation has proved challenging, which is why I co-sponsored the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6).

This legislation, approved by a strong bipartisan vote in July, will save lives and save money.  The bill promotes research collaboration, modernizes clinical trials, and invests in a new generation of scientific innovation.  Additionally, by enacting bipartisan entitlement reform and supporting the U.S. medical device industry, the 21st Century Cures Act is paid for as it reduces the deficit by $500 million over the first 10 years and saves taxpayers $7 billion in the second ten years.

The 21st Century Cures Act demonstrates Congress’ ability to work across the aisle and enact meaningful health care legislation.  Our efforts will aid crucial research to identify treatments for costly diseases.

Quality and affordable health care is critical to our continued success as a Nation.  President Obama’s health care law was poorly thought out and poorly executed.  As your Congressman, I’m working to fully repeal Obamacare, replace it with common sense reforms, and foster the next generation of medical innovation to develop lifesaving cures.