Ernst works to craft health care bill, advocates transparency

Hawk Eye, The (Burlington, IA)

June 17--U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst called for transparency in crafting a health care bill in the Senate that has largely been discussed behind closed doors.

Ernst, Iowa's junior senator, has been attending informal working group sessions with other senators on Capitol Hill to discuss what they want to see in a health care bill aimed at replacing former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.

On Tuesday, Ernst met with President Donald Trump and 12 other senators to discuss repealing Obama's signature health care law that insures about 12 million Americans.

"The Senate is working very, very hard -- specifically the folks in this room and I really, really appreciate what you're doing -- to come out with a bill that's going to be a phenomenal bill for the people of our country," Trump said during the White House meeting Tuesday. "Generous, kind, with heart -- that's what I'm saying.

"The results will be fantastic."

During a phone call with reporters Thursday, Ernst said she has not seen a draft of the bill.

"I cannot give you a definite time frame because, again, we are being really thoughtful and careful about the process," the senator said of the bill's timeline. "We want to make sure that it is sustainable in the long run because as we've proved in Iowa, 'Obamacare' is not sustainable."

In May the Des Moines Register reported Medica, the third and final carrier selling individual health policies in Iowa, likely would leave the exchange in 2018 "due to instability in the market."

Aetna and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield announced in April they would stop selling individual policies here next year.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed its health care bill, the American Health Care Act, May 4. But it was quickly brushed aside by the Senate, that said it would draft its own legislation.

Despite media reports to the contrary, Ernst said the group discussing language for the health care bill was not exclusive and was open to all GOP senators.

"We are coming up with ideas from each of the individual states and bringing those ideas back to the work group," Ernst said. "We sit around the table and we go through them, dissect the facts and figures that are given to us from various members. Those are the kind of ideas, once we have reached a consensus in one area, we move on to the next area."

Once discussions from the working group are complete, Senate staff and committees will write the legislation, Ernst said.

"I think transparency is important, but we don't have language yet. We'll see what happens when the language comes up and proceed from there. I do encourage (Senate) leadership to move in a more transparent manner."

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