House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas)(shown above right) applauded a report on Tuesday about how to accomplish the health care priorities of President Donald Trump and his administration.
Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the report outlining policy objectives aimed at promoting choice and competition in the health care sector.
It also detailed how the policies can provide high-quality care at affordable prices.
Trump first requested the report through an executive order in October of 2017.
“I am encouraged by this report from President Trump and his administration laying out bold, common-sense reforms for our nation’s health care system,” Brady said.
“Patients deserve choice when it comes to their health care. We need to make sure care is accessible and convenient with minimal paperwork, and most importantly, affordable.”
Brady added that the report shows the administration is working to put patients back in control of their health care.
He noted that his fellow committee members have advocated for just that in the face of increasing government control of health care.
Democrats typically have pushed for greater federal control; but Brady is still hopeful they will join in support for these initiatives.
The HHS report came in at over 100 pages, all of which detail a wide range of health care reforms. The report more generally recommends reducing limits on provider services, addressing state-level restrictions, reforming the health insurance markets, and ensuring the system promotes customer-driven health care.
“As we review this report in the coming weeks, we hope House Democrats join us to find areas of common ground where we can take action to put the American people back in control of their health care choices,” Brady said.
Brady specifically highlighted a handful of provisions within the report that his committee had wanted.
He pointed to a provision that allows all health care providers to use their range of skills within their license without limits — eliminating certain physician supervision requirements, and to allow tele-health service to out-of-state patients.
The report also targeted the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, as a massive program ripe for reform.
Brady highlighted a reform that would repeal Obamacare restrictions on physician-owned hospitals.
The report also recommends establishing site-neutral payment policies based on the anticipated patient clinical needs and risk factors.
Republicans have fought against the massive overhaul of the health care system since it was signed into law in March 2010. Trump’s win of the presidency in November 2016 opened the door to actually repealing the law with congressional control still in GOP hands.
But after several attempts, Republicans were unable to pass a replacement health care system.
Trump has slowly weakened it in other ways, such as getting rid of the individual mandate in 2019.
Check out this video:
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.