Rep. David Rouzer
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rouzer released the statement below following the passage of the American Health Care Act:
“Today, the House of Representatives acted to reverse seven years of disastrous health care policy by repealing as much of Obamacare as allowable under the rules of Budget Reconciliation. Not only does the American Health Care Act create more choices fostering more competition, it expands the use of health savings accounts, reforms Medicaid by maximizing state flexibility, and protects the most vulnerable by prohibiting insurance companies from denying or rescinding coverage, or increasing premiums, for those with pre-existing conditions. Further, this legislation repeals every tax in Obamacare and makes the most significant entitlement reform in history by putting Medicaid, one of the main drivers of our national debt, on a budget.”
Background: Passage of this budget reconciliation bill is the first of three steps to achieving a replacement with the goal of creating more competition and greater access to quality health care. Under this step-by-step approach, the first step is to pass the American Health Care Act repealing the mandates, taxes and spending under Obamacare. The second step is for the Administration, specifically Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, to deregulate the marketplace in order to stabilize it, increase choices and lower costs. The last step in this three-phase plan is to rebuild the health care system by passing conservative-minded bills to allow shopping across state lines, medical liability reform and more. These items are not included in the AHCA because they are outside the parameters of the rules of budget reconciliation and therefore require 60 votes for passage in the Senate.
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