WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 19, 2017)–This morning, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Chair of the House Republican Conference, joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures to discuss the American Health Care Act.

KEY QUOTES:

On the open and transparent process:
“This has all along been a very open and transparent process. We’re listening to people — we were in the Energy and Commerce Committee last week; Ways and Means; Budget; and now we’re moving to the floor. And every step of the way we’ve been listening and perfecting this bill.”

On Republican support for the bill:
“Republicans have long been united around the goal of repealing and replacing Obamacare.  We believe that is the way we ensure a better future– a better health care future– for everyone in this country. This is our opportunity, this is our time to act, and we must act.”

On Medicaid:
We are making reforms to Medicaid — the first time in 52 years. Now, I think it’s important to recognize that Medicaid is a very important safety net. It is intended for some of our most vulnerable, those with disabilities, low income pregnant women, and children, and seniors. What Obamacare did was expand Medicaid to able-bodied adults. When you look at who signed up, it was largely these able-bodied adults that under Obamacare didn’t have any other option. Millions of Americans who liked their health care plan were forced onto Medicaid, were forced onto the exchanges. We’re working to empower the states to best structure Medicaid. So, some of the details are how we responsibly unwind Medicaid, what is that way to deal with those that were part of the expansion population. We’re ensuring that they are protected, that they won’t have the rug pulled out from underneath them, but we want to return it to the states. We want to give states the opportunity to structure this program in a way that is best going to meet the needs of the individuals and families in those states most in need.”

On the three phases of repealing and replacing Obamacare:
“What we have proposed is path that will repeal and replace Obamacare. We start with the bill that we put on the President’s desk that President Obama vetoed, so that is the repeal bill of Obamacare, and then we add to it the transition items that are going to make for a smooth transition, and we’re adding the tax credits, the Medicaid reform, the expansion of the health savings accounts. And then phase two is what they can do in the administration under Secretary Tom Price, the deregulation — there’s over 1,400 provisions within the Affordable Care Act where the administration did the details and actually wrote the rules and regulations, and Tom Price is going to review all of that. And then phase three is what will require 60 votes in the Senate, and those are the policy items, like [buying insurance] across state lines, association health plans, other bipartisan health care policy that we will be able to figure out how we get to 60 votes and get it on to the President’s desk.”

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