U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) sent a letter on Monday to the nation’s state governors, asking for their feedback on their pending legislation, the Patient Choice, Affordability, Responsibility and Empowerment (CARE) Act.
“We believe health care reform will be most successful when accomplished in a transparent and inclusive manner, which is why we want to hear directly from the states,” the trio said.
If it becomes law, the Patient CARE Act would implement patient-focused policies that would, in essence, remove decision-making power from the federal government on regulating health insurance in an effort to empower families, small businesses and state governments.
“Whether in Medicaid or in the commercial health insurance market, we believe states have a key role to play in expanding access to coverage and helping to lower costs to consumers. The Patient CARE Act would return authority to regulate commercial health insurance to the states, where it best belongs. We would also give states new tools and authorities to help their citizens and manage their costs. Key among our reforms are policies to modernize Medicaid, increase state flexibility and control, and prioritize care for the most vulnerable. Our goal is to recover the proper balance between the federal and state governments in Medicaid and commercial health insurance.”