Seven sitting governors – 3 Republican and 4 Democrat – have written a letter to Mitch McConnell, calling out both the process and the particulars of the current Republican health care bill, the AHCA, with a special focus on Medicaid. (Usually referred to as #Trumpcare, but increasingly becoming #McConnellCare, since he is the one driving the bill forward.)
The governors note that the process has been anything but bipartisan, since only 13 Republicans have even seen the bill, thus leaving the rest of the Senate Republicans and all of the Senate Democrats in the dark.
The governors also point out that the rumored cuts to Medicaid are “particularly problematic.”
Finally, the governors included four principles they think should be followed:
A BI-PARTISAN APPROACH TO IMPROVING OUR NATION’S HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM
Ensuring that quality health insurance is available and affordable for every American is a bipartisan responsibility. We believe there is common ground in driving down costs and stabilizing the marketplace. States have taken the lead in successfully implementing Medicaid and are uniquely positioned to help make our private health insurance sector vibrant, stable, and fair.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Improve Affordability: Insurance reforms that increase access to quality, affordable health insurance coverage must be coupled with reforms that address rising health care costs across the health care system. Insurance reforms should be done in a manner that is consistent with sound and sustainable cost control practices and must also include the following three guiding principles:
Restore Stability to Insurance Markets: Americans without access to employer-sponsored coverage or government plans need to have access to a healthy, stable and competitive market of insurers from which to choose.
Provide State Flexibility and Encourage Innovation: As laboratories of democracy, states can develop innovative approaches that have the potential to strengthen health insurance for all Americans. Within standards that protect the most vulnerable, states should have appropriate flexibility to implement reforms in a manner that is responsive to local and regional market conditions.
Improve the Regulatory Environment: As the principal regulators of insurance, states are in the best position to promote competition within state insurance markets. Federal efforts should provide appropriate standards to protect consumers while limiting duplicative or burdensome regulations and providing relief to small business owners and individuals.
Here’s a link to the entire letter: Scribd Link
