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Washington, DC– Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), vice chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health, today praised the full committee’s passage of the American Health Care Act, which will repeal and replace Obamacare.

“Today’s vote by the Energy and Commerce Committee is the first step towards saving our health care system,” said Guthrie. “Obamacare has failed Kentuckians. Premiums and deductibles have gone up, and patients have fewer options. We need patient-centered health care solutions, not government-centered care. The American Health Care Act will help to reverse Obamacare’s death spiral by giving control back to patients."

The American Health Care Act repeals Obamacare and replaces it with a market-based system instead of the failed law. By taking power away from the federal government and giving it back to the states and to patients, it will stabilize the insurance markets and ensure that patients can obtain access to affordable health care plans.

The American Health Care Act also strengthens Medicaid, preserving it for the most vulnerable populations who rely on this coverage for their health care. Obamacare expanded Medicaid eligibility, straining states’ Medicaid budgets and making it more difficult for them to care for those who need the program most. The American Health Care Act helps to transition the program to a sustainable model, in part by putting a per-capita cap on the amount of federal funding that states receive.

“Medicaid costs are skyrocketing–within a decade spending on Medicaid will total roughly $1 trillion each year,” said Guthrie. “This is simply unsustainable. The American Health Care Act will save Medicaid for future generations, and for those who are transitioning off the program, they will have access to better, more affordable care under our bill.”

“I was proud to be part of crafting the American Health Care Act,” Guthrie continued. “We have a historic opportunity to reverse Obamacare’s dangerous course and give power back to states, patients, and doctors. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law.”

Specifically, the American Health Care Act:

• Repeals the individual mandate that requires everyone to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty;
• Ensures coverage for pre-existing conditions;
• Allows young adults to remain on their parents’ plan until age 26;
• Prevents insurance companies from charging women more than men;
• Abolishes burdensome Obamacare regulations that drove up prices and made it costly for young, healthy people to purchase insurance;
• Provides a portable tax credit that patients can use to purchase a health insurance plan;
• Creates the Patient and State Stability Fund to incentivize states to help cover lower-income Americans and stabilize markets; and
• Preserves Medicaid for those who received coverage under the state expansion and creates a per-capita cap on federal Medicaid funding.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the American Health Care Act by a vote of 31 to 23. The House Ways and Means Committee has also approved its portion of the bill. Now the House Budget Committee will compile both pieces into a single bill text before sending the bill to the House floor where the entire House of Representatives will vote on final passage.

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See also: “Democrats’ hypocrisy on Medicaid reform” by Congressman Guthrie