Alternative Would Alleviate ObamaCare Pain

As GOP House members spend the coming weeks trying to finalize an alternative to ObamaCare, “Republicans need to be focused on the aspects of the law that are most upsetting for people,” says John C. Goodman, president and CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Goodman, who has been providing counsel to some Republicans in Congress, says the GOP caucus needs to coalesce around a few core principles.

– First and foremost, any alternative should concentrate on increasing choice, which means ending the individual mandate requiring the purchase of health insurance.
– Other priorities should include restoring fairness to the health care system by offering every American an annual tax credit worth $2,500 and every child a credit worth $1,500 as long as they purchase “credible private health insurance,” regardless of where it is obtained.
– This would address the inconsistent application of ObamaCare subsidies and the arbitrary nature in which they are applied.
– Equally important is to target the disincentives in the Affordable Care Act that result in employers’ reducing workers’ hours or pay.
– The plan also should have a component addressing portability and removing provisions in ObamaCare that prevent employees from carrying their insurance to their next job.

Republicans “need to stop talking about general principles of offering insurance across state lines and association health plans and medical malpractice. Those are issues on the periphery. They might be politically popular and make good electoral strategy; they are not the solutions,” Goodman says.

Continued ….

More From NCPA: