Putting Patients First

Michigan patients are sick and tired of paying too much to see a doctor and get the treatment and medicine they need. Big insurance companies are racking up profits while paying their executives massive salaries and bonuses. At the same time, they’re hiking premiums on working families, forcing patients to pay more for medicine, and using convoluted pricing schemes to decide what services they’ll cover and how much they’ll pay for care for the very people paying thousands of dollars in premiums every year.

That’s why I’m continuing the fight to take on big insurance, empower patients, and lower costs for Michiganders with two new bills to Make Health Care Affordable Again: the Great American Healthcare Plan and the Every Dollar Counts Act.

First, the Great American Healthcare Plan would lower health care costs by addressing five key issues:

• Health Savings Accounts: Tax-free health savings accounts (HSAs) allow people to set aside money to pay for medical expenses, but current law has very strict limits on who may open an account, how much someone may contribute, and what expenses are covered. The Great American Healthcare Plan would allow any American to open an HSA and contribute up to $24,500 each year — more than five times the current cap. It would also allow people to use the tax-free accounts to pay for their health insurance premiums, direct primary care arrangements, nutritious food, gym memberships, fitness classes, and more.
• Price Transparency: When patients go to the doctor to get a surgery or treat an illness, they shouldn’t have to worry about surprise bills weeks after the fact. The Great American Healthcare Plan would require health care providers to disclose their prices in advance and force insurers to set clear expectations for what they’ll cover.
• Prescription Drugs: The Great American Healthcare Plan would lower the cost of obtaining some prescriptions by allowing licensed physician assistants, pharmacists, and other qualified health care professionals to dispense or administer certain low-risk medicines without a physician.
• Insurance for Workers at Small Businesses: The new bill would allow groups of small businesses to pool their resources to provide the best, most affordable health insurance for their employees.
• Coverage for Cancer Treatment: This legislation would ensure seniors can access certain expensive cancer treatments and other complex drugs by restoring fair reimbursement for providers through Medicare Part B.

Next, the Every Dollar Counts Act would help Michiganders afford medication by taking on the big insurance companies that force patients to buy prescription drugs from an in-network pharmacy, even if they could buy the same medicine at a more affordable price elsewhere. This bill would also require insurers to count every dollar a patient spends on prescription drugs toward the insurance plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum — allowing patients to shop for more affordable prescriptions even at out-of-network pharmacies.

These bills are part of my Blueprint for a Better America and build on the seven health care bills I've already introduced to lower costs, take on insurance companies, and expand access to care for working families across mid-Michigan and America.