Independent Women’s Voice Issues Statement on Sen. Sanders, ACA

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- The Independent Women's Voice issued the following statement by Policy Director Hadley Heath Manning on Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Democrats, on the Affordable Care Act:

"Senator Sanders and Democrats are proposing to double down on the misguided premise of the Affordable Care Act, that politicians and regulators in Washington, D.C., can best manage the entire U.S. health sector, one-sixth of our economy.

"On the other hand, Senators Cassidy and Graham are offering a new, better direction and move the power over healthcare decisions closer to the people, at the state level. We applaud their bill's benefits to patients and consumers: It would give states some flexibility to spend healthcare dollars more wisely than the federal government would. It reforms Medicaid to focus the program on serving those who need it most. In a grand compromise, it allows states that want to keep the ACA to effectively do so, while offering other states the chance for reform.

"Still, federal lawmakers could do more to offer a serious effort that delivers greater choices, fosters stronger market competition, and lowers costs. If the American people wanted to see the best possible policy outcome, we would start by demanding that Congress live under the health laws it passes. If President Trump is serious about repeal and reform of health care, he must act quickly and end the Obama Administration's Congressional special exemption, and enforce the law as written - that the Affordable Care Act will apply to Congress and all their staff the same as it does to all other Americans on the exchanges. Undoing this exemption would be the best next step toward a better healthcare law for everyone."

IWV was the first group to target the OPM ruling in 2013 by launching No Washington Exemption, a multi-faceted project exposing how the special carve-out shields Congress from feeling the pain that everyday Americans feel under the current system.