Alexander on 4th Anniversary of Obamacare: Republicans Were Right Then, and We’re Right Today

JACKSON, Tenn., March 21 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, today released the following statement on the fourth anniversary of Obamacare this Sunday, March 23:

“Look back at the health care debate as the president rammed his bill through Congress four years ago and you’ll discover something: Republicans were right. We said the president would never be able to keep his promise that Americans could keep their plans under Obamacare. We said his bill would raise individual premiums. We said patients would have fewer choices in providers. We were right about all of it.

“Republicans had better ideas then about going step by step with reforms to increase competition, increase choice, put patients back in charge, and reduce the cost of health care so that more people could afford it. And as the president issues endless delays and repeals of his own law, we’re showing Americans that Republicans have better solutions today to fix the mess Obamacare has created.”

Alexander has outlined nine steps Republicans would take to fix the broken health care system after first repealing Obamacare:

1. Make Medicare solvent so seniors can depend on it to be there for them and their grandchildren.

2. Give Governors more flexibility with their state Medicaid programs so they can lower costs, improve health outcomes, and have more money for other programs like education and roads.

3.Strengthen innovative workplace wellness programs that empower employees with more incentives to make healthy lifestyle choices.

4. Let small businesses pool their resources and offer lower cost insurance plans for their employees.

5. Provide families the opportunity to purchase insurance across state lines, creating greater competition between insurance companies and lowering premiums for everyone.

6. Expand access to Health Savings Accounts and catastrophic health insurance plans, giving people more affordable insurance options that fit their lifestyles.

7. Incentivize the growth of private health insurance exchanges to give consumers expanded health insurance choices and allow them to keep insurance between jobs.

8. Make it easier for patients to compare prices and quality of doctors and medical services.

9. Incentivize states to reform junk lawsuits that drive up health care costs for everyone and are driving medical professionals out of their profession.

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