Two Republican lawmakers introduced a healthcare reform proposal on Monday that would eliminate a key Obamacare health insurance mandate, and give people tax credits when they buy a plan.
Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., say their “World’s Greatest Health Care Plan” would not require the full repeal of Obamacare, but rather would operate alongside the healthcare law, although it would eliminate the individual mandate that most Republicans oppose.
The goal of the legislation, Sessions said, is to provide an alternative to Obamacare, although it will not eliminate the law.
Under the plan authored by Sessions and Cassidy, U.S. citizens would be eligible to claim a $2,500 tax credit and a credit of $1,500 per child. The money, up to $8,000 for a family of four, could either be used to buy employer-sponsored health insurance, be moved to a Roth Health Savings Account, or be received as an annual payment.
“This bill empowers all Americans to make their own healthcare choices, save money in an account that is not use-it-or-lose-it, and ensures that not one person will be forced onto Obamacare,” said Sessions, who is chairman of the House Rules Committee.
Cassidy, a physician, said the proposal offered by the two lawmakers allows patients to have more control over their own healthcare by eliminating bureaucracy.
“It is a solution that will provide an affordable, predictable, competitive marketplace that will create a healthier society and a stronger economy,” Cassidy said.
While the bill would preserve the expansion of Medicaid included in the healthcare law, it would eliminate some of the healthcare law requirements Republicans believe are burdensome and which raise the cost of insurance. It would also enable “portability” of insurance coverage by allowing individuals to purchase insurance outside of their employer coverage and receive reimbursement.
