Health Care
Principles
- Ensure access to quality, affordable care
- Promote medical innovation and advancement
- Eliminate regulations that stifle growth
Despite the enactment of the President’s health care law, Congress must continue to take action to address the reality of rising costs and increasing challenges to access quality and affordable care. As we discuss these solutions, I believe we must fully explore all possible options to improve access to care for Americans.
The President’s health care law fails to increase access to care, while, at the same time, imposing drastic cuts to Medicare. Reports now indicate that enactment of the law will increase the cost of premiums for hardworking Americans significantly. And with employers struggling to understand how to comply with the law, the Administration still has not issued final regulations. In fact, implementation of the law is so burdensome, numerous regulations have been delayed.
That’s why I supported numerous measures to defund the law—over $52 billion in excessive federal spending, including the Repeal of Obamacare Act, a bipartisan bill that passed in the House on July 11, 2012.
Prioritizing advancement in medicine is a necessary component for improving the quality of care in our health care system. Particularly in our region, scientific developments have also spurred economic growth. According to a report by the California Healthcare Institute, emerging life-science research and development has attributed to over 25,000 jobs in San Diego County and over 7,000 in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
To address this issue, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 523, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, to repeal the 2.3% excise tax on medical devices that was included in the health care law. This harmful tax increase on health care innovation has already resulted in job loss.
I also supported the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act to improve access to medicine and treatment. This bill reauthorized the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and the Medical Device User Fee Act for five years, with provisions to accelerate approval for drugs that would benefit those with serious or life-threatening diseases, modernize regulatory science to encourage the development of new medicines. Now, I am committed to ensuring proper oversight of the Food and Drug Administration as this law is being implemented.
What are your thoughts on health care?
How have health care costs, insurance rates, and regulations impacted your access to care? I want to hear your story—click here and let me know.
Resources for you:
- Three House committees have created an Obamacare Burden Tracker that includes 157 different rules and regulations that make up the 127 million hours of paperwork.
- Implementation of the new health care law can be confusing. My website provides a timeline on the law with information on the changes that have and will impact taxes, insurance plans, and provider mandates.
- Stay updated on the House’s efforts to repeal the harmful health care law through the GOP Conference website, available here.