EMPOWERING PATIENTS FIRST ACT
A Solution from the Republican Study Committee for Access to Affordable, Quality Health Care for All Americans
Americans have two choices in the debate on health care reform. They can gain greater control over their own personal, private health care coverage and use this leverage over health insurance companies. Or, they can cede control to Washington and let it decide for them the terms of coverage, benefits and care.
The Empowering Patients First Act, a solution from the Republican Study Committee, embraces the former over the latter. It rests on six fundamental health care principles – accessibility, affordability, choice, innovation, quality and portability. And most of all, it believes in individuals and the power of free people to make independent decisions, not Washington.
| Patients First – Choice and Portability | |
| RSC Plan (H.R. 3400)
Offers new innovative solutions for individuals to shop across state lines and make insurance companies responsive to patients. And employers can offer a “defined contribution” to individuals to purchase a plan which they can keep if they change jobs. |
House Democrat Govt. Takeover (H.R. 3200)
Blesses individuals to “choose” from a host of plans approved by the Health Benefits Advisory Committee, a new government bureaucracy (and that’s if choices remain after the new government-run plan gets to “compete.”). |
| ‘ If You Like What You Have, You Can Keep It | |
| RSC Plan (H.R. 3400)
Grants power to individuals and their families with no fear that existing coverage will be deemed unacceptable by Washington. |
House Democrat Govt. Takeover (H.R. 3200)
Outlaws private insurance on the individual market and requires employers to change their current health care plans if they do not comply with new stringent government requirements |
| Preserve the Employer-Based System | |
| RSC Plan (H.R. 3400)
Keeps intact the current pre-tax benefits while permitting employers to offer discounts for healthy habits through wellness and prevention programs. And tax incentives are granted for auto enrollment programs.
|
House Democrat Govt. Takeover (H.R. 3200)
Implements a host of new government mandates on employer sponsored coverage, increasing the costs for businesses and employees while taking away innovation and flexibility. And don’t forget more than 80 million Americans would lose their coverage. |
| Medical Liability Reform and Reining in Costs | |
| RSC Plan (H.R. 3400)
Reduces frivolous lawsuits by establishing health courts in each state and adding affirmative defense through best practices set by physicians, not trial lawyers chasing a buck in lottery courts. |
House Democrat Govt. Takeover (H.R. 3200)
Nothing. Estimates peg the cost of defensive medicine between $70 billion to $124 billion per year, or around 10% of all health care dollars. Perhaps if Democrats were less interested in blaming “greedy doctors” and protecting trial lawyers, they’d actually address the problem. |
| Lower Taxes | |
| RSC Plan (H.R. 3400)
Gives Americans back their own hard-earned tax dollars, through credits and deductions, to purchase the quality health insurance of their choice. It makes the purchase of health care financially feasible for all Americans |
House Democrat Govt. Takeover (H.R. 3200)
Taxes businesses (pay or play), the wealthy (surtax) and the middle class – you know, those making less than $250,000 a year (individual mandate). |
| Limitations on Abortions | |
| RSC Plan (H.R. 3400)
No funds may be used to pay for an abortion or cover any part of the costs of any health plan which includes coverage of abortions |
House Democrat Govt. Takeover (H.R. 3200)
Permits taxpayer dollars to be spent on abortions and does not prevent the Health Benefits Advisory Committee from mandating coverage of abortions |
VISIT US ON THESE OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES:
