House Republicans tasked with coming up with a health reform plan have released key goals for a detailed proposal later this year.
The mission statement released Thursday by the GOP Task Force on Health Care Reform says the plan will promote innovations in employer-provided coverage, reform insurance markets, increase state flexibility in the Medicaid program and strengthen Medicare.
It also mentions “health tax expenditures,” but doesn’t clarify exactly what kinds of changes Republicans would propose, which could include various types of tax credits to help people buy coverage.
For years, Republicans have promised to come up with a health reform plan to replace Obamacare, but so far have failed to coalesce around one proposal. Shortly after becoming House speaker, Rep. Paul Ryan instructed groups of members to come up with policy proposals in various areas including healthcare, although he hasn’t said whether the House will vote on them this year.
The key committees that deal with healthcare will hold hearings on policy proposals Republicans come up with, the statement Thursday said. The hearings will be focused on “building consensus around specific healthcare policies that reflect these principles and will hold hearings to advance real patient-centered reforms.”
The statement doesn’t include a specific deadline for when a health reform plan will be ready, saying only that it will be ready “in the coming months.”
