Exclusive–Rep. Meadows: We Won’t Fix Health Care by Replacing Obamacare with Another Bad Plan

Congressman Mark Meadows told Breitbart News that the Freedom Caucus plan to repeal Obamacare brings Americans closest to liberty.

Congressman Meadows (R-NC), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, prefers Senator Rand Paul’s (R-KY) plan over Speaker Ryan’s plan to repeal and replace Obamacare. He said told Breitbart News, “We support the 2015 Obamacare repeal bill, and we support Sen. Paul’s bill to fully replace Obamacare.”

Senator Rand Paul, along with the House Freedom Caucus, unveiled their Obamacare repeal-and-replace plan that they argue will completely repeal Obamacare. Senator Paul said, “We owe this to the conservatives across the country to repeal–to completely repeal Obamacare.”

The House Freedom Caucus bill contrasts with Speaker Ryan’s plan that some congressmen, such as Raul Labrador (R-ID), decry as “Obamacare-lite.”

Meadows believes that the Ryan plan will only lead to higher prices and create new entitlements. Congressman Meadows said, “The tax credits included in Ryan’s plan will create an entirely new entitlement program.” He continued, “We are concerned about a new federal plan that will only increase premiums and lead to higher prices. We are not going to fix healthcare by replacing Obamacare with another plan that won’t work.”

Congressman Meadows told Breitbart News, “We need to expand health savings accounts (HSA), and allow health insurance companies to sell cheaper insurance. Allow states to sell insurance across state borders to drive down cost. For those without health insurance, we can allow small groups, companies, individuals and associations to create their insurance pools.”

The House Freedom Caucus chairman added that a health reform package should create tax deductions for philanthropic care. Senator Rand Paul frequently offers free eye surgery for uninsured patients.

GOP leaders often decry there needs to be a transition to have after Obamacare repeal. Meadows said, “A great transition period would be two years or less, and allow pre-existing conditions.”

Republicans continue to disagree on how to dismantle Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. The Ryan plan would phase out federal funds to expand Medicaid by 2020, while the Freedom Caucus plan would eliminate Medicaid expansion fully and then block grant Medicaid to the states.

Congressman Meadows told Breitbart News, “We need to give states greater flexibility in handling their local needs. States that did not expand Medicaid like mine (North Carolina) should not have to pay for other states’ fiscal irresponsibility.”

Congressman Meadows held that repealing Obamacare does not mean the end of reforming health care. He said, “We need to remove the McCarren-Ferguson anti-trust exemption for health care companies and allow more competition. We also need to add more portability for your health care plan. There is no reason you have to leave your health care plan once if you lose or change your job.”