Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., told Newsmax that the Affordable Care Act for healthcare coverage in America is nothing but a "horror story."
Van Drew told "The Record With Greta Van Susteren" on Wednesday that Americans deserve better. "The American people didn't create this horror story. They didn't create this problem. They don't deserve to be punished. They were pushed into Obamacare."
Van Drew said Congress must develop a plan to replace the ACA and save Americans from skyrocketing health care insurance premiums.
"Now we have to help them with a bridge to get out of it, but it can't be by just letting the premiums lapse and not helping at all with subsidies. That doesn't work either," Van Drew said.
Democrats have proposed a three-year extension of government subsidies to keep the ACA afloat. Republicans have proposed a shorter bridge term while a replacement program is established.
Van Drew said the Democrats' plan is not workable. "So the real answer is not the Democrat plan, which doesn't reform or change or do anything, just extends it for three more years. That's not responsible."
But he said the whole thing can't just be scrapped. "We need to make sure to help the American people. We need a bridge. For a short period of time, we do need to extend the subsidy with some reforms that we can put together quickly."
But that, he said, needs to be done with some changes to the ACA. "For example, having caps so that people with huge salaries don't get these benefits because they don't really need them, and a host of others dealing with waste and fraud and abuse."
He said his House committee is reviewing some of those changes as the debate over the healthcare plan ramps up. "And I don't want to continue with Obamacare forever. There is a midpoint where we can continue it with some reform for 18 months to two years."
He said some people might not like the timeline, but it has to be done right. "We could get that done quickly and then really work hard [on] a good alternative. And when that alternative is done in, say, a year or a year and a half of hard work, we replace it completely so the American people don't get hurt."
Van Drew said the only winners from the ACA are insurance companies, which keep increasing premiums that are largely supported by government subsidies.
President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that he likes "the concept" of a Republican healthcare bill that would give qualifying ACA enrollees up to $1,500.
Trump spoke with reporters Tuesday on Air Force One and was asked about the bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to steer assistance away from insurers and toward patients.
"I like the concept. I don't want to give the insurance companies any money," Trump said.
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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