Health Care
As a practicing physician of more than 30 years and chairman of the GOP Doctors Caucus, I understand first-hand that health decisions are the most personal decisions we make. While I recognize the need for common-sense health care reform, I firmly oppose the wholesale takeover of health care by our federal government. In 2010, President Obama and his Democrat allies passed the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, which cedes control of one sixth of our economy to the federal government. Obamacare does not come cheap. In fact, it amounts to the largest tax increase on the middle class in American history. Along with billions in new taxes, the law includes some of the most anti-growth provisions on the books. The employer mandate was intended to guarantee that employers offer health coverage, and though it’s been delayed, has become the major reason businesses cite for no longer providing health benefits to employees. Since Democrats shoved Obamacare through Congress, businesses have struggled to keep their doors open because of the law’s onerous tax burden and the uncertainty surrounding its regulations. Obamacare hasn’t even been fully implemented, but all across the country, business owners are expressing frustration with its new rules and ‘moving target’ regulations. By encroaching on freedom of choice, Obamacare has resulted in less access for seniors, children, and the poor. This is because Democrats, in order meet the law’s enormous price tag, are gutting more than $700 billion from Medicare – making it difficult for the most vulnerable Americans to access quality care. As a physician, I consider this abhorrent. Furthermore, Obamacare’s Independent Panel Advisory Board (IPAB), introduced by the current administration as a “cost-cutting measure,” will further limit seniors’ access to care. Comprised of 15 unelected bureaucrats, the panel will ration the services Medicare patients receive. Health care decisions, sometimes life threatening ones, belong in the hands of the patient, their family, and their doctor – not unqualified bureaucrats with the top priority of protecting Uncle Sam’s wallet. Since Obamacare was passed, I have relentlessly fought to repeal this violation of privacy and patient rights. Congress does have a lot of work to do – not only by making sure states have the flexibility to modernize their Medicaid programs, but also by laying the foundations for more comprehensive reform. There are free market solutions within our grasp will ensure greater choice for consumers and also preserve the fundamental patient-doctor relationship. Congress can and should focus on reducing the costs and inefficiencies that plague our health care system putting quality care out reach for many. We can expand access to quality coverage and improve health care for patients by encouraging doctors to adopt health information technology and by enacting medical liability reform to keep “jackpot” justice for a few from increasing health care costs for everyone. The regulatory barriers that keep many small businesses from being able to afford coverage for their workers must be torn down. Additionally, Congress can provide assistance for low-income individuals and create market-based reforms where traditional family health plans compete against each other to ensure the best quality of care for the best price. Finally, I will continue to introduce legislation that works to repeal and replace Obamacare with sensible, transparent health care reforms. Health care is more than just treatment – it’s prevention. We need market-orientated incentives for healthy behaviors so that consumers can live healthier, longer lives and avoid costly medical treatment for preventable diseases. At the end of the day, we need a health care system that is defined by terms like prevention, access, quality, and patients – not by bureaucrats and government intervention.
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