Press Releases
On September 13, 2017, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dean Heller (R-NV), Ron Johnson (R-WI) and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) unveiled legislation to reform health care.
The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson (GCHJ) proposal repeals the structure and architecture of Obamacare and replaces it with a block grant given annually to states to help individuals pay for health care.
This proposal removes the decisions from Washington and gives states significant latitude over how the dollars are used to best take care of the unique health care needs of the patients in each state.
The block grant is run through CHIP and is subject to a mandatory appropriation.
The grant dollars would replace the federal money currently being spent on Medicaid Expansion, Obamacare tax credits, cost-sharing reduction subsidies and the basic health plan dollars.
The proposal gives states the resources and regulatory flexibility to innovate and create healthcare systems that lower premiums and expand coverage.
More specifically, GCHJ:
- Repeals Obamacare Individual and Employer Mandates.
- Repeals the Obamacare Medical Device Tax.
- Strengthens the ability for states to waive Obamacare regulations.
- Returns power to the states and patients by equalizing the treatment between Medicaid Expansion and Non-expansion States through an equitable block grant distribution.
- Protects patients with pre-existing medical conditions.
GCHJ also eliminates the inequity of three states receiving 37 percent of Obamacare funds and brings all states to funding parity by 2026. As an example, Pennsylvania has nearly double the population of Massachusetts, but receives 58 percent less Obamacare money than Massachusetts.
Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson treats all Americans the same no matter where they live.
Read more about GCHJ here:
- Updated GCHJ Legislative Text
- Updated GCHJ Section by Section
- Updated GCHJ HHS State-By-State Impact Table
Endorsements and Support:
- President Donald Trump
- Vice President Mike Pence
- 15 Governors Back Block Grants to States for Repeal and Replace
- Governors Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin), Asa Hutchinson (R-Arkansas), Eric Holcomb (R-Indiana), Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Matt Bevin (R-Kentucky), Paul LePage (R-Maine), Phil Bryant (R-Mississippi), Eric Greitens (R-Missouri), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Doug Burgum (R-North Dakota), Mary Fallin (R-Oklahoma), Dennis Daugaard (R-South Dakota), Bill Haslam (R-Tennessee) and Gary Herbert (R-Utah).
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)
- Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina)
- Governor Henry McMaster (R-South Carolina)
- Catholic Medical Association
- Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma)
- Lanhee Chen, Hoover Institution
- Americans for Limited Government
- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas)
- Philip Klein, managing editor of The Washington Examiner
- Quin Hilyer, Washington Examiner
- Theodore Kupfer, National Review
- Governor Doug Ducey (R-Arizona)
- Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin)
- Senator Roy Blunt (R-Missouri)
- Governor Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin)
- House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California)
- Senator Jeff Flake (R-Arizona)
- The Weekly Standard
- Wall Street Journal 9/14/17
- Wall Street Journal 9/22/17
- Susan B. Anthony List and Family Research Council
- Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Alan Levine
- David Catron, American Spectator
- Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve
- Hugh Hewitt, Nationally Syndicated Radio Host
- Phil Kerpen, Townhall.com
- Christian Coalition of America
- Tea Party Express
- Fox News: Graham: Health Care Bill is a Win for Federalism
- Graham Floor Speech on Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson
- Bill Introduction Press Conference
- Fox News: Graham to GOP on Health Care: Lead or Get out of the Way
- Fox News: Graham: We are sending money and power out of DC back to where you live
- Breitbart Radio: Graham says insist to your elected representatives we have this vote
- Washington Examiner: Obamacare overhaul is 'Bernie Sanders Worst Nightmare'
