Dear Friend,

We hope you are staying healthy and well as we move into fall, although the temperatures don’t feel like it yet. Recently, we did a ‘Myth vs. Fact’ on USPS operations which received great feedback, so we wanted to provide the same information on a different topic: Healthcare.

Attempting to stay well-informed on healthcare policy given the volume of information can be a full-time job in itself. Whether it is my belief to protect pre-existing conditions, lower the out-of-pocket cost of drugs, or shifting our conversation to technology solutions to make healthcare more affordable I wanted to provide a second “Myth vs. Fact” on Healthcare.

Pre-Existing Conditions:

I want to set the record straight: I support protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions.

One of my first votes in the 116th Congress was to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA), legislation to protect pre-existing conditions and replace Obamacare which restricts market competition and raised taxes. Under the AHCA:

• Insurance companies were prohibited from denying or not renewing coverage due to a pre-existing condition. 
• Insurance companies were banned from rescinding coverage based on a pre-existing condition. 
• Insurance companies were banned from excluding benefits based on a pre-existing condition. 
• Insurance companies were prevented from raising premiums on individuals with pre-existing conditions who maintain continuous coverage. 

We brought this legislation to the floor on the first day of this Congress, and it was voted down by Democrats. My Democratic colleagues are still unable to accept our words, but I want my constituents to know the truth. I support protecting pre-existing conditions and will not fall for partisan games or votes around this issue. 

Prescription Drugs:

Each day, millions of Americans are grappling with the rising cost of prescription drugs. I believe there is room for Congress to work together to combat this. 

While Democrats focused on H.R. 3, partisan legislation that would never be signed into law or reduce the cost of prescription drug prices, my Republicans colleagues and I on the Ways and Means Committee introduced H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act which:

• Encourages innovation of groundbreaking new cures, promotes more low-cost options for patients, and curbs how drug companies can game of the system.
• Places a cap on seniors’ out-of-pocket drug costs and allows seniors to
  manage their annual out-of-pocket spending.
• Makes insulin more affordable.
• Increases transparency and removes uncertainty at the pharmacy counter.

I highly recommend watching my speech on Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and the Democrat’s cure killing H.R. 3 proposal. To achieve meaningful change in a divided Congress, we would need to work together to pass legislation with strong, bipartisan support that can be signed into law. I am continuing to advocate for bipartisan solutions to lower drug costs for millions of Americans. 

Access to Healthcare:

I believe that Washington, D.C. has long focused on “who gets to pay for your healthcare” instead of focusing on “how we can make healthcare more affordable and  improve our quality.” This is an issue to blame BOTH Republicans and Democrats on, which is why I have moved my focus towards advocating for solutions that give Americans control of their care.

My focus for healthcare policy has been on:

• Promoting new technology proven to make healthcare costs more affordable
• Expanding telehealth services for accessible care
• Improving access to affordable health insurance choices 

Many of my Democratic colleagues have focused on “Medicare for All,” a program that would allow the government to take FULL CONTROL of your healthcare, increase taxes, and ration access to care. These are just three facets of what an one-size-fits all approach to healthcare would create for Americans, and continues the dialogue around “who gets to pay." 

While these are just three facets of an incredibly complex topic, I know that it can be confusing to hear what your representative supports, so I wanted you to hear it directly from me. I do support protecting pre-existing conditions, I believe we must be focused on bipartisan solutions for reducing prescription drug prices, and I want all Americans to have choice and control of their healthcare. 

I appreciate you taking the time to read my weekly newsletter, and I hope you and your family had a safe Labor Day weekend. 

Sincerely,

David Schweikert