Health Care
As the former executive director of West Virginia State Medical Association, Congressman Evan Jenkins has a solid understanding of the issues facing our state and nation’s health care system. He believes the relationship between doctors and patients must be protected and should not be tainted by Washington bureaucrats.
The congressman has voted multiple times to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with commonsense health reforms that focus on lowering costs and improving access to quality health care. Since the disastrous implementation of Obamacare, premiums have skyrocketed, jobs have been lost, and the price tag of the law skyrocketed to more $1 trillion.
For West Virginia’s miners and their families, Evan will fight to preserve black lung benefits for coal miners. He introduced his first resolution in Congress to protect the black lung benefits program and ensure that miners will always have access to the benefits they need and deserve.
Congressman Jenkins has cosponsored and voted for commonsense health care reforms, including repealing the sustainable growth rate, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, and the medical device tax. He has also cosponsored legislation to repeal the tax on “Cadillac” health insurance plans implemented through Obamacare – this punitive tax is universally opposed by both unions and businesses.
Rep. Jenkins is also working to advance research and development of new cures for diseases, cosponsoring and passing the 21st Century Cures Act. This important legislation increases funding for National Institutes of Health research into many diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. On the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Jenkins voted to increase NIH funding, promote mental health treatment, and expand preventative measures for diabetes.
Evan is also working to combat the drug crisis facing our state, in particular the increase in the number of babies born exposed to drugs. For more about his work to address the drug crisis and neonatal abstinence syndrome, please click here.
More on Health Care
January 10, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) has been named again to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, the powerful committee that sets the budget for all federal agencies and departments.
Rep. Jenkins served on the committee during the 114th Congress. Subcommittee assignments are expected to be announced later this month.
January 5, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) reintroduced his resolution to protect black lung benefits when Obamacare is replaced, saying Congress must reaffirm its commitment to providing for our miners who become ill due to their work.
January 4, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) urged the new Congress to pass legislation now to protect pensions and healthcare benefits for our miners and their widows.
“We must act now to keep the promise. We must honor their work in the mines by protecting the pensions and healthcare benefits they worked their whole lives to earn. We must pass legislation I’ve cosponsored to protect these hard-earned benefits for families like Rita Blankenship of McDowell County, who wrote me asking for help,” he said on the House floor Wednesday morning.
January 3, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) was sworn in today for his second term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I am humbled and honored to have the trust of the people of the Third Congressional District of West Virginia and to be their voice in Congress. Over the next two years, the people’s voices will be heard loud and clear in Washington as we reject the policies of the past eight years. I look forward to working with our new president, Donald Trump, to bring hope and jobs back to our state and nation.
December 13, 2016
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) said today that the 21st Century Cures Act, which President Obama signed into law Tuesday afternoon, will make a real difference in West Virginia’s fight against the drug crisis.
December 7, 2016
Press Release
WASHINGTON – On the House floor today, U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) shared stories from West Virginia miners and families asking Congress to protect their pensions and health care.
Robin Workman of Boone County wrote to Rep. Jenkins about how she and her husband depend on the benefits he earned.
“She said, ‘My husband put in 35 years underground. A promise made to them shouldn’t be broken! West Virginia helped keep the lights on back then as well as today. Please don’t forget about us!’” Rep. Jenkins read on the House floor.
September 27, 2016
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) today urged Congress to pass legislation to protect pensions and healthcare benefits for miners and their widows.
He shared the story of Sherri Armstrong of Boone County, who is worried that her father’s pension is in jeopardy.
September 14, 2016
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) supports legislation to hold bad actors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for the care our nation’s veterans receive.
“I will not stand for a system that rewards Washington bureaucrats for failing to do their job,” Rep. Jenkins said on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday.
September 7, 2016
Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) has helped secure a federal grant of $125,000 for the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership to continue its important work to prevent youth substance abuse.
The grant was awarded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Program. Rep. Jenkins worked with the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership and the Office of National Drug Control Policy to help secure this grant.
July 13, 2016
Press Release
WASHINGTON – Legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.), the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, is on its way to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
The Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act is included in a bipartisan package of bills addressing the opioid crisis, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. The House passed the bill, known as CARA, last week, and the Senate passed it tonight.