Posted on 08/16/2013 7:13:05 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich scolded Republicans this week for having “zero” ideas for how to replace Obamacare, a law the GOP desperately wants to repeal. It is an argument often employed by Democrats, who have been on the defensive lately as the president’s signature law has encountered a series of setbacks, and is becoming increasingly unpopular.
Either way, the notion that Republicans have no plan to replace Obamacare is news to Representative Tom Price (R., Ga.), who in June introduced a comprehensive alternative health-care plan — for the third time since 2009. It was originally introduced as the Obamacare alternative from the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC), which Price chaired at the time.
The 250-page legislation, known as the Empowering Patients First Act, has yet to receive a vote in the House, but currently has 32 co-sponsors, including Representatives Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.), Tim Huelskamp (R., Kans.), Jeb Hensarling (R., Texas), and Tom Cotton (R., Ark.).
The bill is a comprehensive alternative, notes Price, who has more than 20 years of experience as a practicing orthopedic surgeon. His policy proposals, which conservative experts have praised, will probably be familiar to those who have closely followed the ongoing health-care debate.
The bill aims to provide affordable coverage for all through a series of tax credits and deductions designed to entice individuals into the insurance market with positive incentives, as opposed to Obamacare’s solution of fining those who refuse to purchase health insurance. “It’s a carrot instead of a two-by-four,” Price says. “Regardless of where one fits in the economic spectrum, there is a financial incentive to purchase health coverage that the individual wants, not that the government forces them to buy.”
The law would allow individuals to opt out of Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health-care-benefit programs in favor of receiving a tax credit; an individual’s health coverage would be “portable” — no longer tied to an employer — so losing a job wouldn’t also mean losing insurance; individuals and small businessed would be able to access insurance pools that reduce risk for those with pre-existing conditions, and they could purchase plans across state lines. Tort reforms would cut down on physicians’ practicing “defensive medicine” and driving up costs by ordering unnecessary procedures in an effort to avoid lawsuits.
The plan is based on six principles: affordability, accessibility, quality, responsiveness, innovation, and choice. “All of those principles are violated by the Affordable Care Act,” Price says. “When you step back and look at those principles, it guides you to a system that allows patients and families and doctors to be in charge.”
And yet when Republicans talk about health care, few actually point to Price’s bill as an alternative plan, which only reinforces the perception that the GOP has no plan beyond repealing Obamacare. “No,” Price laughs when asked if his plan has gotten the attention it deserves. Why not?
“Health care is complex, and most people don’t want to necessarily deal with it until they’re either forced to, or there is a clear path forward for it,” he says. “What we have proposed is a comprehensive solution to the health-care challenges that we face. But as the political winds blow, right now most folks are looking at Obamacare and saying, ‘Well, let’s see what happens.’”
Republicans are divided on the question of how best to achieve their ultimate goal of full repeal and have had trouble reaching a consensus on most issues relating to health care. In April, after conservatives revolted, House leadership was forced to abruptly cancel a vote on a health-care-reform measure championed by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.); the measure would have created high-risk pools for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Currently, some Republicans want the demand for a full defunding of Obamacare to become part of the upcoming budget negotiations. Others want to see Obamacare delayed for a year, and there are still others who want to see Obamacare’s major provisions go into effect so that voters can experience the negative consequences of the Democrats’ misguided law. Not everyone believes, as Price does, that Republicans should champion an alternative solution.
“My goal is always to have a positive solution, a positive alternative if the current system isn’t working, and in health care, the current system clearly isn’t working,” he says. “The purpose of this bill is to say to folks: There are principled, patient-centered solutions in the area of health care. Here is our proposal.”
Price is also working with current RSC chairman Steve Scalise (R., La.) on a separate replacement bill that is set to be unveiled when Congress returns from the August recess. But he says that, “as a realist,” he doesn’t think Republicans are ready to unite behind an alternative health-care plan just yet. “I think we will need to see further dysfunction in the current law.”
“Obamacare will need a replacement, because it won’t work,” he adds. “We need all sorts of solutions out there on the table. Let’s have a deliberative process here, not one where something is shoved down the throats of the American people.”
— Andrew Stiles is a political reporter for National Review Online.
We don’t need an alternative. Just leave healthcare alone and stay out of it.
If we leave healthcare alone ( the way it is today ), Medicare and Medicaid will be on their way to bankurptcy.
Note that Obama has successfully convinced the Republicans from Newt to Cantor to have some sort of Nationalization of the US Medical Profession.
_______________
In order to slap these sorry RINOs up side the head, here are some talking points to bring up at your next Town Hall Meeting, phone call, letter, or e-mail to any Incumbent Congressman and woman:
1.) If we stop donating to the RINOs, then we just MIGHT have a chance that they will actually change their anti-Conservative words and actions in OUR Republican Party.
Remember, in politics, “Lack of Money speaks louder than words.”
2.) If teeth are lacking in the US Constitution for swift and effective punishment of Constitution violators, then it really is time to SHUT DOWN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
3.) What more will it take for Articles of Impeachment to be issued for B. Hussein Obama?
4.) When can we expect to read that you have resigned from Congress?
Any legislation called “comprehensive” is part of the Marxist transformation and must be defeated.
Heard Rush talking about Newt’s comments yesterday and I couldn’t agree more! We don’t need an alternative. It’s not necessary to counter every bad idea the rats have with a bad idea of our own!
So, no alternative for what’s going to happen to Medicare and Medicaid and simply let them go bankrupt?
Woulffie, there is already an 8-foot stack of Impeachable offenses on the desk of Boehner and McConnell. But since their respective heads are so far up Gangsta-0's azz, and their 30 pieces of silver so shiny, they are blinded by $#@!.
The disturbing conclusion reached here is that it appears Gangsta-0 is going to be allowed to run the table until the SHTF. The uncomfortable truth: If Republicans haven't lifting a finger to propose Impeachment by now, they never will.
IF that is going to be the case, we've all been hung out to dry....and basically run out of time to affect matters at the election booth.
In April, after conservatives revolted, House leadership was forced to abruptly cancel a vote on a health-care-reform measure championed by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.)
Hold on. Is this the SAME Gingrich who touted Democrat(R) Dede Scozzafava for Congress in NY state?? The same Cantor who is Boehner's Vichy-GOPe sock-puppet??
These two are Vichy-GOPe Republican wolves in sheeps' clothing and GLOBALISTS. No thanks.
Every time the word “comprehensive” comes out of Versailles on the Potomac, it is spelled “BOHICA”.
re: “The law would allow individuals to opt out of Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health-care-benefit programs in favor of receiving a tax credit; an individual’s health coverage would be “portable” — no longer tied to an employer — so losing a job wouldn’t also mean losing insurance; individuals and small businessed would be able to access insurance pools that reduce risk for those with pre-existing conditions, and they could purchase plans across state lines. Tort reforms would cut down on physicians’ practicing “defensive medicine” and driving up costs by ordering unnecessary procedures in an effort to avoid lawsuits.”
No hostility here, I just do not see a problem with this proposed bill (at least at this point).
It provides incentives for people to take care of their own health insurance and looks like it would help drive down the cost of insurance by allowing people to purchase plans across state lines. It also has Tort reform which is way, way overdue.
Rather than government interference, this sounds like removing government obstacles on competition among insurance companies.
Or, am I missing something?
(hint: they're BOTH socialized medicine)
Exactly, that’s why we have to kill ocare now. Like Medicare, once it’s in place it will be impossible to get rid of it.
re: “I like it when people calling themselves conservative call Obamacare “socialized medicine” , but then say “hands off my medicare”.”
Where am I defending medicare? I don’t like medicare or obamacare, but at least this bill would allow people a choice to get out of the gov’t program.
Dear Lord! I despair for the conservative movement when at the drop of an imagined hat we attack each other and start name-calling when one conservative doesn’t completely see things from another conservative’s view.
The goal is destroy obamacare, limit government as much as possible one idiotic program at a time. What am I missing?
Sorry. I didn’t mean to single you out to sound like I disagree with you.
I agree with your post.
Ok, I guess I misunderstood what you were saying. No problem TurboZamboni, my bad.
He needs to add a 7th principle and shift the rest down: Constitutionality; and nothing coming out of Congress in recent memory fits the bill.
Ah, so you’ll only take 1/2 of a sh!t sandwich?
I despair when those of a Constitutional bend seem to continue to allow the ‘reaching across aisles’. O’Care should NEVER have passed, let alone twisted and OK’d by the S.C. But, our benevolent benefactors will GRACIOUSLY allow us peons to (briefly) opt-out?
Don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t support obamacare or Medicare. This bill repeals Obamacare and provide the first real step away from Medicare And Medicaid - how is that a bad thing?
First (aka baby) steps are too easily side-stepped (excuse the pun) by the next Congress. DRASTIC measures must be done, now, today...not soon, tomorrow, TBD.
Each Citizen is on the hook for ~$1M for all the unfunded liabilities/promises and the like from D.C. There is no posterity to guarantee to our next generation(s) of Citizen(s).
Next thing you’ll know, the (C)/(R) will be slapping each other on the back for the Paul 10-ys ‘balanced budget plan’...Wait! what?!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.