SW Arkansas Times

Congressman Bruce Westerman has introduced The Fair Care Act of 2024, a health care reform bill aimed at reducing costs, increasing coverage options, and protecting individuals with preexisting conditions. Westerman emphasized the need for significant changes in the American health care system.

“The American health care system is in need of serious reform,” said Congressman Bruce Westerman. “Government overreach has no place in the health care system, and Americans deserve to have access to quality, affordable health care regardless of a preexisting condition. This commonsense legislation will loosen the grip of Big Government on our health care system, while lowering costs, and ultimately reducing the number of uninsured Americans.”

The proposed legislation includes various measures such as codifying protections for preexisting conditions under HIPAA and offering greater protections through an "Invisible Guaranteed Coverage Risk Pool" and Medigap plans. It also aims to eliminate the employer health insurance mandate and provide premium assistance to those with Employer Sponsored Insurance offers.

Other aspects of the bill focus on strengthening enrollment in commercial marketplaces, expanding pretax dollar use for medical expenses, promoting transparency in provider networks and pricing, discouraging hospital consolidation, modernizing prescription drug approval processes, reforming Pharmacy Benefit Manager practices, expanding telehealth services eligibility, modernizing Medicare enrollment processes, establishing flexible Medicaid funding options for states, and ensuring fiscal accountability for Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Westerman expressed optimism about the bill's progress: “The Fair Care Act creates a path forward for all Americans... I look forward to seeing this bill move through the legislative process.”