For all of the quality care it delivers, the U.S. health care system is one of the most dysfunctional sectors of the U.S. economy. The government spends nearly 50 cents of every dollar spent on health care, most consumers are almost entirely insulated from the cost of their decisions, and employers decide what kind of health insurance their employees get.
But while the U.S. health care system begs for reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act only exacerbates all of the current problems, promising to devolve into a price-controlled system rationed and micromanaged by bureaucrats.
IPI believes there are much better options: reform the tax treatment of health insurance; remove the state and federal mandates and regulations that make coverage more expensive; pass medical liability reform; and promote policies that create value-conscious shoppers in the health care marketplace.
Market Watchers: Health Care Repeal Doesn't Address Industry's Top Priority, CSR Payments
The state exemption from the community rating mandate is critical to stabilizing the marketplace, said Merrill Matthews, resident scholar at IPI. "I think it allows states to opt out and create a functioning health insurance market. They are allowing waivers so insurers can risk-rate patients and assess actuarially accurate fair premiums. If they are above the standard (premium rate) they can go into the risk pool."
House Bill Lets States Return to Functioning Health Care Markets - If States Choose To
“Today Republicans took an important step towards rolling back President Obama's and Democrats' decades-long quest for a government-run single-payer healthcare system,” said Matthews.
Healthcare Groups: Revised GOP Healthcare Bill 'Even Worse'
Republicans' Federalist Approach to Health Care Reform a Step Forward
The compromise Republican health care bill is significantly better than the original version. It's not a full repeal of Obamacare, but allows states to once again create functioning health insurance markets.
Letter to the Texas Congressional Delegation Regarding Protection of Intellectual Property
Letter to the Texas delegation urging their opposition of the UN's efforts to weaken intellectual property protections.
HHS Presses On with Regulatory Reforms
With no new healthcare law in place or in sight, President Trump's efforts to recast healthcare reform are in the hands of Tom Price and Seema Verma.
Freedom Caucus Likely Saved GOP From A Huge Embarrassment
If the AHCA plan were to become law with the guaranteed issue provision, most insurers would continue their exodus from the individual market or exchanges.
After Repeal of ACA Fails, Feds Could Still Make Broad Changes, Watchers Say
Although legislative efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act have stalled, the Trump administration can make regulatory modifications to the health care reform law to keep insurance companies in the individual exchanges and strengthen the markets, observers said.
Matthews Praises Freedom Caucus for Demanding Changes Ensuring AHCA 'Actually Works'
As Republican leaders continue to work to garner support from the House Freedom Caucus for the American Health Care Act, IPI resident scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews said the Freedom Caucus is "doing exactly the right thing."
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