Republicans in Washington D.C. continue with their effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and newly elected Representative Jack Bergman has a seat at the table.
Northern Michigan’s voice at the capitol participated in a House Committee on the Budget hearing designed to explore the rising cost of health care and other harmful consequences of the Affordable Care Act.
The hearing was Bergman’s first as a member of the Budget Committee.
In a statement, Bergman said people in Michigan are faced with skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, and other costs associated with so-called Obamacare.
The Watersmeet Republican expressed interest in preserving provisions in the law that have been successful and moving forward with a plan that addresses its shortcomings.
President Donald Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare.
Here is Bergman’s full statement:
“Under the ACA, every American was promised access to affordable, quality health care,” Bergman said. “Faced with skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, and other costs, families and small businesses across Michigan are living under the financial weight of that broken promise. Today’s testimony confirmed that, while certain provisions deserve preservation, the ACA as a whole is not a sustainable, long-term instrument for providing Michiganders with quality care.
“My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are willing to admit that the ACA’s attempt to fix a broken health care system has not been perfect. So why not take the provisions in the ACA that have been successful and move forward with a plan that addresses shortcomings and moves us toward viable, patient-centered care? A successful health care plan won’t just provide quality coverage today, it’ll provide quality coverage 10, 20, even 50 years from now. That’s what we should be working toward here in Congress: a healthy today and a better, stronger tomorrow.”