U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) Wednesday released the following statement after voting in the House Ways and Means Committee to advance portions of the American Health Care Act:
“We are one step closer to ensuring Americans have access to quality, affordable health care. The American Health Care Act will repeal Obamacare and replace it with a patient-centered system that puts individuals and families back in control of their health care decisions. By advancing the policies President Trump outlined last week, we are delivering on our promise to provide relief for the millions of Americans facing higher costs and fewer choices under Obamacare.”
BACKGROUND
The Ways and Means Committee, of which Walorski is a member, held a markup of those portions of the American Health Care Act that fall under the committee’s jurisdiction. The Ways and Means portions include:
- Dismantling Obamacare’s burdensome taxes and mandates, including individual and employer mandate penalties and taxes on medical devices, prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and health insurance premiums;
- Ensuring access to affordable, quality health care through tax credits for individuals and families who don’t receive insurance through their employer or a government program; and
- Giving patients more control over their health care dollars by expanding and enhancing health savings accounts.
This legislation will be combined with the Energy and Commerce Committee’s legislation into one reconciliation package. The combined bill will repeal Obamacare and replace it with a better health care system that lowers costs, increases choices, and protects patients.
Specifically, the American Health Care Act will:
- Provide relief for families and small businesses from Obamacare’s burdensome taxes and mandates;
- Protect patients with pre-existing conditions and allow young adults to stay on their parents’ health care plan until age 26;
- Ensure Americans have access to quality, affordable health care through tax credits and expanded health savings accounts (HSAs);
- Give states flexibility to tailor solutions to the needs of their own citizens instead of top-down, one-size-fits-all policies from Washington; and
- Begin a stable transition period to ensure no one has the rug pulled out from under them.
The full text of the American Health Care Act is available at readthebill.gop.
A summary of the legislation is available HERE.
A section-by-section of the Ways and Means portions of the legislation is available HERE.
Walorski represents the 2nd Congressional District of Indiana, serving as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
