Special Edition E-News: The American Health Care Act

This week, legislation was introduced to give Americans access to quality patient-centered healthcare.

Entitled the American Health Care Act, the House Energy & Commerce Committee began the process of open debate to review the bill through a process called 'Mark Up' which allows lawmakers to amend, revise and edit the bill text.

The American Health Care Act will bring relief to the millions of Americans who have lost coverage and seen their premiums go up by double digits. By expanding choices, overturning mandates and lowering costs, the American Health Care Act will:

DELIVER RELIEF

Dismantle the Obamacare taxes that have hurt job creators, increased premium costs, and limited options for patients and health care providers--including taxes on prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, health-insurance premiums, and medical devices.

Eliminate the individual and employer mandate penalties, which forced millions of workers, families, and job creators into expensive, inadequate Obamacare plans that they don't want and cannot afford.

PRESERVE VITAL PATIENT PROTECTIONS

Prohibit health insurers from denying coverage or charging more money to patients based on pre-existing conditions.

Help young adults access health insurance and stabilize the marketplace by allowing dependents to continue staying on their parents' plan until they are 26.

ADVANCE 21ST CENTURY REFORMS PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP

Establish a Patient and State Stability Fund, which provides states with $100 billion to design programs that meet the unique needs of their patient populations and help low-income Americans afford health care.

Modernize and strengthen Medicaid by transitioning to a "per capita allotment" so states can better serve the patients most in need.

Empower individuals and families to spend their health care dollars the way they want and need by enhancing and expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)--nearly doubling the amount of money people can contribute and broadening how people can use it.

Help Americans access affordable, quality health care by providing a monthly tax credit--between $2,000 and $14,000 a year--for low- and middle-income individuals and families who don't receive insurance through work or a government program.

Murphy Efforts to Deliver Treatment Before Tragedy

Murphy successfully secured language to the base text of the American Health Care Act being considered in Committee today which will allow states to use $100 billion to expand access to mental health and addiction treatment services. With this increased funding, the AHCA goes further than the ACA in delivering prevention, treatment and recovery.

Murphy will also work to require states to collect data for individuals who receive federal funds through programs like Medicaid so that states can better coordinate care for those with mental illness, substance use disorder and disabilities.

During today's mark up, Congressman Murphy offered an amendment to protect mental health and addiction parity. Click here to learn more.

Later, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, Murphy weighed in to offer insight on the number of hearings held on the Affordable Care Act which identified the many problems and inefficiencies of the law. A total of more than 30 hearings resulted in thousands of pages of transcripts, insight from over 100 witnesses, including administration officials, and five investigative reports, culminating in the final product and solution for our nation's broken health system, the American Health Care Act. Watch Murphy address the full committee here or click on the image below.

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