President Trump Signs Executive Order to Lower Costs of Healthcare

Washington, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order to reform the healthcare system by expanding choices and alternatives to Obamacare plans, and increasing competition of providers to drastically lower costs for consumers. Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) released the following statement:

“President Trump should not be forced to make unilateral policy changes – the Senate needs to take action and provide permanent relief for the American people. We did our job in the House. For years, employers have been squeezed by Obamacare. The American people deserve more choices and options with lower prices, plain and simple. This Executive Order not only promotes competition across the board, it offers relief to rural areas of the country which is especially necessary in my home state of Tennessee,” said Congressman Black.

If we don’t put an end to the nightmare of Obamacare, people in nearly 50 percent of counties nationwide are projected to have only one insurer option in 2018. That is a truly staggering statistic. Over the past seven years, hospitals have been forced to close, patients have lost their doctors and premiums have skyrocketed due to a law sold as the answer for rising insurance costs back in 2010. Our current Administration has been listening to the suffering of millions of Americans, and is ensuring that these rules are revised and reformed to benefit consumers. It’s far past time for the Senate to follow suit.”

The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Labor to consider proposing regulations to expand Association Health Plans (AHPs), along with additionally directing the Secretaries of HHS and Treasury to consider the expansion of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). Expanding AHPs and HRAs will benefit approximately 35 million workers at small businesses, those with fewer than 50 workers. Employers participating in an AHP cannot develop premiums based on their employee’s health conditions.

This expansion will potentially allow small businesses to join together to self-insure or purchase large group insurance, giving them the ability to negotiate better prices and coverage for their employees. The order also requires that a report be produced within 180 days on federal and state policies on the lack of competition in the availability of insurance providers.

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Congressman Diane Black represents Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. A nurse for more than 40 years, she serves as Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a member of the Ways and Means Committee.