Story highlights Lanhee J. Chen: GOP should build on American values of innovation and choice

At the core of the system is America's generally competitive marketplace

Senators Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders will debate Obamacare tonight on CNN at 9 pm ET. Lanhee J. Chen is a CNN political commentator and the David and Diane Steffy Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He served as the policy director for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign and was a senior aide at the US Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush administration. The views expressed in this commentary are his.

(CNN) The recent debate over the future of Obamacare has obscured an important, but fundamental, truth: The American health care system is exceptional.

It is entrepreneurial and offers patients more control over their health care decisions than anywhere else in the world. One of the primary problems with Obamacare is that it does not prioritize these values. As the Trump administration and congressional Republicans consider what to do after the repeal of Obamacare , they should, as the Hippocratic Oath states, "do no harm" to those elements of our health care system that are functioning well. But they should also take steps to promote policies that emphasize choice and innovation.

Lanhee J. Chen

At the core of our system is America's generally competitive marketplace for health care services. America has the most innovative health care economy in the world. No other country even comes close. This innovation manifests itself in the latest biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and surgical techniques, as well as rapidly evolving health IT and quality and outcomes measurements. Because our policymakers avoided price controls and tried to create competitive marketplaces for many of these products, we've driven down prices for consumers and expanded options for patients -- all while promoting innovation.

We also have a tradition of valuing choice in our health care system. That means that rather than having health care decisions dictated solely by the government, most Americans still have the final say over decisions about the care they receive. While government plays a significant role in our health care system, we have chosen to take a different approach than have many other countries, including democracies in Europe and Asia. The federal government doesn't impose price controls or engage in direct negotiations over price on most health care products and services. Indeed, in the parts of the health care system where competition thrives, the marketplace maximizes choices for consumers while holding down their costs.

Fortunately, policymakers in America have examples of successful programs in the health care sector that have been premised on competition and choice to drive value and innovation. Two, in particular, are of special note -- the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) and Medicare Advantage plans.