The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Tenth Amendment Action Director Chip Roy released the following statement on the withdrawal of the today’s expected vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA).
“Political pundits will describe today as a defeat for limited government and for conservatives, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Roy. “Today presents an opportunity for Congress to slow down and make good on their promise to the American people. Obamacare is an unmitigated disaster and the Americans have rightly rejected it over the years. But the American Health Care Act fell far short of remedying the problems in Obamacare and in some instances, would have made things worse.
“Congress should reset its approach and commit to doing this right—not just fast. This means fully repealing all of Obamacare’s various components: the costly and flawed Medicaid expansion, all of the taxes and subsidies, and most importantly, the onerous federal insurance regulations and mandates that have been driving up premiums and deductibles for individuals and families across the nation. It also means utilizing its power of the purse to ensure that no component of Obamacare is funded beginning with the new fiscal year.
“Once Obamacare has been fully repealed, Congress should respect the people and the states with healthcare policies that empower patients, lower costs, increase quality of care, and provide greater choices for consumers through market-oriented reforms. The central problem with our system is federal control over supply and demand of healthcare. Lasting reform must bring an end to this dynamic as opposed to merely making changes at the margins.
“I am encouraged that Congress avoided making a terrible mistake and now has the opportunity to get it right.”
For more information or to request an interview with Mr. Roy, please contact Caroline Espinosa at [email protected] or 512-472-2700.
Chip Roy is Director of the Center for Tenth Amendment Action at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin, Texas.
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