Bill Cassidy on Health Care

Reduce ObamaCare deductible from $6000 via tax-free accounts

CASSIDY: We've got to do something for affordability for the people in the exchanges. The only thing that Democrats would accept was something that would decrease the premiums. But if a family has a $6,000 out of pocket before they get into the strength of the insurance plan, then frankly the policy is catastrophic. It brings profit to the insurance company, but not benefit to the patient. There has to be a meeting of the minds between Democrats and Republicans: you've got to put cash in the patient's pocket to pay the out of pocket. I would be willing to do a short-term extension of the premium tax credits for those people with higher premiums if they will concede that we've got to do something for the $6,000 out of pocket. I think there's a deal to be had here.

Vaccines are safe; vaccines do not cause autism

SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): If the data is brought to you and these studies that have been out there for quite some time and have been peer-reviewed and it shows that these two vaccines are not associated with autism, will you ask, "no, I need even more," or will you say, "I see this has stood the test of time and I unequivocally and without qualification say that this does not cause autism"?

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Not only will I do that, but I will apologize for any statements that misled people otherwise.

Q: Dr. Cassidy, he lied to you.

CASSIDY: Well, first, let me say, speaking as a physician, vaccines are safe. It's actually not disputed. It's actually quite well proven that vaccines are not associated with autism. There's a fringe out there that thinks so, but they're quite a fringe. President Trump agrees that vaccines are safe.

Proposes Health Savings Accounts within ObamaCare

CASSIDY: There's two types of Obamacare subsidies. There's the baseline. We're not touching that. There's the other, which are called the enhanced, started under the Biden administration because Obamacare policies have become so expensive, so expensive that they had to subsidize the subsidy. What we would do is take the enhanced premium tax credits and would still make sure that patients don't pay too much as a percent of their income for the insurance, but we would take the extra amount that's available and put it into a health savings account. It gives power to the patient. So, yes, we're working on it. Yes, we can do it. And, yes, I think we can have it ready for 2026.

Extend ObamaCare tax credits to avoid huge rate increases

SHAHEEN: In this shutdown, I have had two goals, one is to get the government up and running again, and the second was to address the high cost of health insurance, based on the fact that those premium tax credits are supposed to go away at the end of this year. I think people are now very aware of the fact that they are going to see huge rate increases, double for so many people, and an unaffordable cost of health insurance if those premium tax credits go away. We need to work with our Republican colleagues: I agree with Senator Cassidy [R-LA], this should be a bill to extend those premium tax credits because there is real urgency to get this done. And if we don't address it, then people are going to see huge rate increases.

I've seen how government-run health care fails patients

Fierce proponent of vaccines, but voted for RFK Jr for HHS

Older and vaccinated more at risk than younger and not

Older and vaccinated more at risk than younger and not

Coronavirus racial disparity not result of systemic racism

[Senate opponent Antoine Pierce writes]: Contrary to Cassidy's assertion, the healthcare disparity is not just a distraction. It must be addressed as part of the solution to the current pandemic. Senator Cassidy could also recognize this for the wake up call that it is and get to work addressing the structural racism in our healthcare system, our schools, our criminal justice system, our environment and our economy that is at the root of these health disparities.

The spread and deaths from COVID-19 are preventable and reveal ugly truths about racial disparities in our state.

AdWatch: propose ObamaCare-lite plan in state legislature

And the Senate Conservatives Fund executive director took a shot at Rep. Bill Cassidy, the establishment GOP candidate for the seat now held by Democrat Mary Landrieu: "Bill Cassidy has rightly been criticized for his ObamaCare hypocrisy," the group's executive director wrote. "Not only did Cassidy propose an ObamaCare-lite plan in the state legislature, he's also tried to take credit for federal grants awarded through the ObamaCare program. All of this is making it harder for him to contrast himself with Democrat Mary Landrieu."

Portable insurance; interstate competition; & pool insurance

Real change would be for us to set up portability of insurance so that workers could keep their insurance if they changed jobs, allow interstate competition among insurance companies and establish insurance pools to expand the range of products for people to choose between.

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.`

Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law.

Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act.

Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act`s enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act`s health care provisions.

Anti-universal coverage, according to AFA survey.

The AFA inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'It is the government's responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance'? Self-description: (American Family Association helps produce iVoterGuides): `Grounded in God; rooted in research`; they `thoroughly investigate candidates`; when they cannot `evaluate with confidence, they receive an `Insufficient` rating` (& we exclude)

Strongly pro-private insurance, according to AFA survey.

The AFA inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance'? Self-description: (American Family Association helps produce iVoterGuides): `Grounded in God; rooted in research`; they `thoroughly investigate candidates`; when they cannot `evaluate with confidence, they receive an `Insufficient` rating` (& we exclude)