John Fleming on Health Care

If Supreme Court bans ObamaCare subsidies, let them die

Some Republicans worry that any legislation that extends the subsidies, even temporarily, would not only box the party into keeping them indefinitely but also water down the party's opposition to the president's health law. "We do get into a little trouble on the messaging because people say: 'What is the difference between that and what we're already doing?'" said Rep. John Fleming (R-LA). "Whether you continue subsidies or you use tax credits, they're all tax credit programs one way or another."

Private insurance driven by free market principles

We can insure ALL Americans without government taking over health care and insurance.

When elected, I will submit to Congress a plan that includes the option for private insurance for all Americans that includes portability, large risk pools, health savings accounts, competition between providers to control costs and reforms that allow patients to become wise consumers.

Private health insurance that is driven by competition under free market principles will result in more power to the consumer of health care and in better health care.

Repeal any federal health care takeover.

The Club for Growth`s `Repeal-It!` Pledge for incumbents states, `I hereby pledge to the people of my district/state to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.`

Fully repealing ObamaCare is important, but not sufficient.

Heritage Action Summary: This vote would fully repeal ObamaCare.

Heritage Foundation recommendation to vote YES: (2/3/2015): ObamaCare creates $1.8 trillion in new health care spending and uses cuts to Medicare spending to help pay for some of it. Millions of Americans already have lost, and more likely will lose, their coverage because of ObamaCare. Many Americans have not been able to keep their doctors as insurers try to offset the added costs of ObamaCare by limiting the number of providers in their networks. In spite of the promise, the law increases the cost of health coverage.

Secretary of Labor Robert Reich recommendation to vote NO: (robertreich.org 11/22/2013): Having failed to defeat the Affordable Care Act, Republicans are now hell-bent on destroying the ObamaCare in Americans` minds, using the word `disaster` whenever mentioning the Act, and demand its repeal. Democrats [should] meet the Republican barrage with three larger truths:

1. The wreck of private insurance: Ours has been the only healthcare system in the world designed to avoid sick people. For-profit insurers have spent billions finding and marketing their policies to healthy people--while rejecting people with preexisting conditions, or at high risk.
2. We could not continue with this travesty of a healthcare system: ObamaCare is a modest solution. It still relies on private insurers--merely setting minimum standards and `exchanges` where customers can compare policies.
3. The moral imperative: Even a clunky compromise like the ACA between a national system of health insurance and a for-profit insurance market depends, fundamentally, on a social compact in which those who are healthier and richer are willing to help those who are sicker and poorer. Such a social compact defines a society.

Legislative outcome: Passed House 239-186-8; never came to a vote in the Senate.

Provide for treatment of autism under TRICARE.

A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of autism under TRICARE. Revises TRICARE (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program) to authorize treatment of autism spectrum disorders, if a health care professional determines that such treatment is medically necessary.