Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, chair of the Republican Study Committee, will introduce legislation in the House mirroring the More Affordable Care Act introduced by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in the upper chamber.
Scott's bill, introduced last month, would let current subsidies expire as scheduled and allow states to apply for a waiver so that consumers could gain access to a "Trump Health Freedom Account" that would resemble a health savings account.
These accounts could be used to pay insurance premiums (minus coverage for abortion or gender transition procedures) and would include all funding for any cost-sharing reductions.
The legislation would also allow Americans to shop across state lines for health plans, requiring any program operating under a "waiver state" to be readily available to residents of other waiver states.
Still, it wouldn't get rid of the Affordable Care Act; rather, it would increase competition for people in areas where federal coverage is the only option.
"I'm proud to fight alongside Chairman Rick Scott in introducing the More Affordable Care Act to fix the Democrats' Obamacare disaster that left families with skyrocketing costs and broken promises," Pfluger said.
"By establishing Health Freedom Accounts, we're putting health care decisions back where they belong: in the hands of American families, not Washington bureaucrats.
"The American people deserve better than throwing more money at a failed system, and we're delivering the commonsense solutions they expect."
The bill could draw strong support from the GOP rank and file, given Pfluger's role as study committee chair and his influence in advising Republican leaders as they craft the reforms.
Hopes for an extension of healthcare subsidies were diminishing in Congress this week as Republicans and Democrats largely abandoned the idea of bipartisan talks on the issue, increasing the odds that millions of Americans could see sharp premium spikes starting Jan. 1.
Democrats who agreed last month to reopen the government in exchange for a December healthcare vote were hoping they could work with Republicans to extend the COVID-era Affordable Care Act tax credits that help many Americans pay for their health coverage.
But lawmakers in both parties have spent most of the time since talking among themselves instead, rehashing long-standing partisan arguments over the law in public.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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