Montgomery County Republican Party Line: Leading Republicans Offer Healthcare Proposal

Leading Republicans Unveil "The Patients' Choice Act of 2009"

This week four Republicans, U.S. Senators Richard Burr of North Carolina and Tom Coburn, M.D. of Oklahoma and U.S. Representatives Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Devin Nunes of California introduced health care reform legislation that promotes universal access to quality, affordable health care, without adding billions of dollars in new debt or taxes. Their proposal uses market-oriented conservative principles by giving patients more decision-making power with their health care dollars.

The central tenet of their approach is a restructuring of the existing tax treatment for health insurance. They would give every taxpayer direct assistance to buy private health insurance, and end the inequities that plague the current system. The bill would shift the $300 billion annual tax exclusion for employer-based health benefits toward refundable tax credits for families and individuals. Families would get $5,700 a year and individual consumers would get $2,300 a year to purchase private plans and invest in health savings accounts (HSAs).

Low-income families would receive a supplemental debit card worth up to $5,000 that would help them pay for health coverage and out-of-pocket medical bills. By expanding the availability of private health plan coverage, the dependence of many uninsured Americans on the hospital emergency rooms for routine care would be reduced.

More importantly, the bill rejects the approach favored by many liberals of a government-run health insurance plan. Such a government-run plan is often regarded by foes and advocates a like as a stalking horse for the forcing Americans into a single-payer health care system.

According to The Washington Times, "Consumers would be able to keep their current coverage, and there would be no requirement to carry coverage, according to aides of the bill sponsors. Consumer protections would be put in place to make sure insurers offer coverage regardless of age or health, and a review board would penalize insurers that cherry-pick healthy patients, aides say."
The bill also gives the states more flexibility and direct oversight to create health reform plans that meet standards provided by Congress, the Washington Times reports. There are also provisions to pay for preventive measures like vaccines and incentives for states to reduce chronic disease rates.

To be sure, their "Patient's Choice" approach reflects only one of a number of Republican healthcare alternatives. For example, Republican U.S. Representatives Mark Steven Kirk of Illinois and Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania have instead proposed a ban on federal interference with private health insurance except in cases of existing Medicaid, Medicare, veterans or military health care.
Yet Republicans are working hard to address the concerns of many Americans with principled market-based alternatives to the "bigger government" proposals being advanced by too many Democrats.

Wall Steet Journal coverage
Washington Times coverage
Plan details

Mark Uncapher

Montgomery County Republican Chairman