Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT LSEY DAVISBREAKS DOWN THE PLAN.KELSEY TODAY LOUISIANA SENATOR: BILL CASSIDY AND MAINE SENATORSUSAN COLLINS INTRODUCED THEPATIENT FREEDOM ACT OF IT'S A2017.PLAN REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS SAYSWILL INCREASE THE ACCESS TOQUALITY AND AFFORDABHEALTH CARE TO ALL AMERICANS.IMPROVE PATIENT CHOICE AND MAKESURE MORE PEOPLE GET COVERED >> HEALTH INSURANCE WORKS IHAVING A LOT OF HEALTHY PEOPLEAND HE DISTRIBUTE THE COST OFCARE FOR THE MORE EXPENSIVE TOCARE FOR OVER THE MANY HEALTHY.KELSEY BUT CASSIDY SAYS THE: BIGGEST THING THIS 3 OPTIONBILL WOULD DO IS RETURN POWER TOSTATES.>> CONGRESS WOULD PASSLEGISLATION ALLOWING DATE THECHOICE TO GO INTO THEALTERNATIVE.THEY COULD OPT TO STAY INOBAMACARE OR THEY COULD OPT FORNO FEDERAL COVERAGE.KELSEY THE ALTERNATIVE OPTION: ALLOWS STATES TO COVER THEUNINSURED RESIDENTS WITH FUNDINGFROM HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.BY PROVIDING A STANDARD PLANTHAT HAS A HIGH PRODUCTIVE WILL-- DEDUCTIBL AND PHARMACEUTICALCOVERAGE AND AVOIDABLE CARE.REPORTER: COLLINS SAYS THEALTERNATIVE OPTION WOULD ALLOWSTATES TO RECEIVE THE SAMEAMOUNT OF FUNDING THEY WOULD GETUNDER OBAMACARE AND FOREXPANDING MEDICAID EVEN IF THEYHADN'T ALREADY EXPANDED THATCOVERAGE.BY GIVING STATES OPTIONS THATTHEY CAN TAILOR THE THAN NEEDSOF THEIR CITIZENS, I AM HOPEFULTHAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH APROPOSAL THAT COULD ATTRACTBIPARTISAN SUPPORT.REPORTER: SO HOW SOON ARELAWMAKERS HOPING TO GET THISPLAN ROLLING?IF CONGRESS REPEALS AND REPLACESTHE ACA THIS YEAR, STATES COULDSELECT THE OPTION THAT BESTSUITS ITS POPULATION BY 2018 ANDIMPLEMENT IT BY 2019AND BY 2020 THE CHANGE WOULD BECOMPLETE.

Advertisement Sen. Bill Cassidy, Sen. Susan Collins introduce health care plan to replace Affordable Care Act Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Maine Sen. Susan Collins introduced a new measure intended to replace the Affordable Care Act. The Republican lawmakers said the Patient Freedom Act of 2017 will increase the access to high-quality and affordable health care to all Americans, improve patient choice and make sure more people get covered. “Health insurance works by having a lot of healthy people and you distribute the cost of care for the more expensive to care for over the many healthy,” said Cassidy. Cassidy said the biggest thing this three-option bill would do is return power to states. “Congress would pass legislation allowing states the choice to opt into the alternative, they could opt to stay in Obamacare, or they could opt for no federal help,” said Cassidy. The alternative option allows states to cover the uninsured residents with funds from health savings accounts. “By providing a standard plan that had a high deductible, a basic pharmaceutical coverage, some preventive care such as free childhood immunizations,” said Collins. Collins said the alternative option would allow states to receive the same amount of funding that they would get under Obamacare and for expanding Medicaid, even if they hadn't already expanded that coverage. While Collins said the plan isn't perfect, she said moves must be made now to replace the plan currently in place. “This will help protect, moving forward, families who rely on the program and give insurers time to transition to a new marketplace that is based on more choices for consumers” said Collins. “By giving states options that they can tailor to meet the needs of its citizens, I am hopeful that we have come up with a proposal that could attract bipartisan support.” So how soon are lawmakers hoping to get this plan rolling? Cassidy said that if Congress repeals and replaces the ACA this year, states could select the option that best suits its population by 2018 and implement it by 2019, and the change would be complete by 2020. Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!