Washington, D.C. – House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy today announced the formation of the Healthy Future Task Force, led by Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Devin Nunes (CA-22) and Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (KY-02).
The Task Force will build on Republican health policy successes and craft a patient-focused agenda for the future.
“We would like to thank House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy for giving us the opportunity to put together solutions to modernize, personalize, and improve health care in the United States. Our goal is to bring together the best ideas that we can implement in order to make health care more affordable, promote innovation for new treatments, and increase health care choices for all Americans. Republicans are united in preventing Democrats’ goal of a government takeover of health care, which will lead to fewer cures, less choices, and worse health care. We have a great team ready to get to work and listen to the American people to form a solution-based health care agenda,” said Nunes and Guthrie.
Republicans have a long record of patient-oriented accomplishments including:
- A Historic Ban on Surprise Medical Bills
- 21st Century Cures
- The Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit for Seniors
- Medicare Advantage
- Expanding Telehealth
- Record Investments in the NIH
- Fighting the Opioid Epidemic
- The Children’s Health Insurance Program
- Protections for Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions
Democrats focus on top-down approaches, papering over the failures of our current programs and insisting on “one size fits all” government takeovers like Medicare for All. By contrast, Republicans believe in a more modern, innovative, and flexible agenda that emphasizes:
- Lower costs,
- Keeping people healthy,
- Finding better therapies and cures,
- And giving all Americans a wide array of choices to provide them with peace of mind.
Over the next year and a half, the Healthy Future Task Force will listen, learn, and lead in developing this next chapter of the health care agenda. The Task Force will craft legislative proposals that Republicans can advance after retaking the majority. This agenda will focus on:
- Breaking down barriers to help all Americans live healthier and longer
- Increasing care choices
- Expanding the range of available providers
- Encouraging investment in new cures and therapies
- Lowering the cost of health services
- Providing a strong safety net for the most vulnerable Americans
- Protecting access to care for all Americans
- Ensuring patients remain in control of their health care
Leader McCarthy also appointed the following House Republicans to serve on the Task Force:
Tom Cole (OK-04)
Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08)
Morgan Griffith (VA-09)
Mike Kelly (PA-16)
Richard Hudson (NC-08)
Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH-02)
Rick Allen (GA-12)
Bruce Westerman (AR-04)
Jim Banks (IN-03)
Kevin Hern (OK-01)
John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13)
Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03)
Beth Van Duyne (TX-24)
Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-02)
Victoria Spartz (IN-05)
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