Take a look at the “World’s Greatest Healthcare Plan”
House Representative Pete Sessions (TX-32) and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy have introduced a Congressional proposal to amend the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The bill, officially titled Health Empowerment Liberty Plan (HELP) is being touted by its sponsors as the “World’s Greatest Healthcare Plan” and would repeal both the individual and employer mandates, while also granting tax credits to individuals and families to purchase health insurance.
The proposal is designed to relieve some of the regulatory barriers Obamacare has brought into the healthcare industry and is expected to draw support from both Republicans and Democrats. By removing some ACA insurer mandates, the high cost of health insurance premiums and deductibles will surely decrease.
The bill would also allow states to decide if they want to opt-in or out of Obamacare. If states remain compliant with the ACA, it would leave their Marketplace Exchange and Medicaid Expansion programs in place. For states that decide to opt-out, U.S. citizens, including Medicaid beneficiaries, would be eligible for a $2,500 per individual, $1,500 per child tax credit, to be used towards the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance, invested in a Roth Health Savings Account, or received as an annual payment.
Ahead of the Republican convention, the Republican congressional caucus is expected to release their comprehensive ‘repeal and replace’ proposal this July. Congressman Sessions and Senator Cassidy maintain this proposal is not in conflict with the ‘replace’ plan and contend it is a “free-market alternative that is sustainable for America’s families.” While this bill could very well be a great legislative compromise put in place to stop the fiscal bleeding brought on by the ACA, our state leaders should be mindful in their goal to strive towards free-market, quality and cost-effective incentives for our public programs, to reduce the $1.1 trillion dollars Americans spend on Medicare and Medicaid annually.