Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint, appeared in a video to introduce the conservative alternative to ObamaCare, finally. We know what the Republican Party doesn’t support, because of fierce GOP opposition to ObamaCare, but we have yet to see the party coalesce behind a central idea.
That isn’t the nature of the party of individuality, which is typically at odds with each other, as you would expect from free thinking pols. However, you cannot just stand against something, you must stand for something, as well. DeMint is correct to point out that there has been past Republican plans, but none have offensively proposed. Republicans are always on the defensive against an ever-expanding entitlement state, and as such finds little priority with offering health care solutions that are specific and draws a clear difference between the parties.
Maybe they won’t coalesce behind the new plan from Heritage, either — that remains to be seen — but at least Heritage has offered one up for the Americans people to contrast. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Republican Party, itself. Perhaps, we would be talking about a completely different law today had that not been the case.
The policy proposal, which can be found below, follows five basic principles:
- Choose, control, and carry your own health insurance;
- Let free markets provide the insurance and health care services that people want;
- Encourage employers to provide a portable health insurance benefit to employees;
- Assist those who need help through civil society, the free market, and the states; and
- Protect the right of conscience and unborn children.
Here is the video released by Heritage below, followed the letter from Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint:
With each passing day, it becomes clearer that Obamacare will not reduce premiums for average American families, bring down health care spending, or truly improve health care in this country. Instead, people are receiving notices from their insurance companies that their policies are being canceled or their premiums are skyrocketing.
At The Heritage Foundation, we are envisioning a health care system where you and your family come first.
What if you could choose and control your own health insurance? What if you could buy the insurance and health care services you want and need? What if your health insurance didn’t go away when you changed jobs?
The good news is, all of these things are possible. There can be life after Obamacare—and it doesn’t mean going back to the status quo that we had before. We can move ahead, taking the best health care system in the world and making it even better.
Our experts in the Center for Health Policy Studies have put together a new paper that explains how these conservative ideas work. It includes:
- How we will help people with pre-existing conditions
- How we will help you keep your health insurance when you change jobs
- How we can lower costs and improve health care quality—no matter what your income is
- How we can honor people’s faith and protect the right of conscience in health care
We are excited to share this set of commonsense solutions with you—not just because they are good public policy solutions, but because they bring hope. We have hope for life after Obamacare, and these policies would give you back control over your own health care.
Now that’s worth working toward. I hope you’ll join us.
Jim DeMint
Read the Morning Bell and more en español every day at Heritage Libertad.
