AFP on Cancelled House Health Care Vote

ARLINGTON, Va., March 24 -- Americans for Prosperity issued the following news release:

Following a cancelled vote on the House Obamacare replacement plan, Americans for Prosperity is saying lawmakers should move away from their blueprint and craft a bill that repeals the core tenets of Obamacare that continue driving up costs.

AFP says politicians have consistently promised to deliver an unequivocal repeal over many years since 2010, but the most recent House plan falls well short of that goal and fails to make insurance more affordable for all Americans. The grassroots organization said it was committed to holding lawmakers accountable if they failed to secure a full repeal of the law.

AFP Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardner issued this statement:

"The flawed infrastructure of Obamacare is a poor blueprint for reform. The GOP healthcare plan, with its model of mandates, regulations, and subsidies, was a stew of bad policy and bad politics that would have caused harm to patients and politicians alike.

"We look forward to working with Congress to advance a true repeal of Obamacare, and approach reform with a fresh perspective that lowers costs and increases access to healthcare for all Americans."

Previously, AFP had identified four core concerns that any repeal of Obamacare should address:

1. Tax Credits: The tax credits in the current plan are simply a rebranded version of Obamcare's subsidies for costly care riddled with federal mandates.

2. Cadillac Tax: Keeping this tax also would keep the cost of certain plans higher, and AFP has opposed it for years. Congress should honor the promise to eliminate all Obamacare-related taxes.

3. Medicaid Relief: Relief from the untenable costs of Medicaid expansion should come in January 2018, not be delayed for years.

4. Insurance Regulations and Mandates for Essential Health Benefits: EHB's are another major driver of high costs, forcing people to purchase coverage many of them may not want or need. According to AFP, these should also be eliminated as soon as possible rather than keep costs artificially higher for years.

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