Senator Bob Corker
Senator Bob Corker said Thursday he believes Congress should repeal the Affordable Care Act and "start over on a level playing field."
He said, “After being involved in many discussions over the past several months with my colleagues and stakeholders across Tennessee, I believe the best path forward is for Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act after a reasonable transition period.
“This takes us back to a level playing field where, by a date certain, all sides have incentive to work together to develop a health care replacement that can generate broad support and will stand the test of time.
Regardless of how we move forward, it is my hope that our focus will be not only on coverage but also on lowering the actual cost of health care.”
Senator Corker participated in a lengthy meeting held by senators on Wednesday night and also attended the lunch meeting held earlier in the day at the White House.
Meanwhile, at a press conference in the Capitol on Wednesday night, Congressman Scott DesJarlais and the Freedom Caucus – a group of conservative House members – announced their introduction of a discharge petition "to force a vote on the full Obamacare repeal Republicans approved and delivered to President Obama in 2016," although he vetoed the bill.
President Trump has said he would sign a full repeal of Obamacare with a two-year delay to enact other reforms to save the private health insurance market, where costs have been rising by a double-digit percentage year after year, Rep. DesJarlais said.
The discharge petition is a parliamentary procedure to move the repeal bill from the relevant committee to the House floor, where Rep. DesJarlais said, "Republicans who previously voted for it should have no excuse. “The only thing that’s changed is that the health care situation is worse. More federal co-ops have collapsed. More state exchanges have crumbled."
He said, “Premiums and deductibles have risen even further, leaving more Americans without health insurance, in some cases their jobs and livelihoods. Obamacare is a strain on the economy, costing Tennesseans wages and benefits.
“However, we have a Republican President and Congress, our best opportunity to save health care in this country, where the vast majority liked their coverage and care before Obamacare. Insurance sales across state lines, generic drugs, tort reform, health savings accounts, high-risk pools and other free-market, local solutions would do what Obamacare has not: increase choice, affordability and health care quality.
“We should keep our promises, not retreat when the moment to act is right now.”