August 30, 2017
The Honorable Paul D. Ryan Speaker of the House H-232, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Mitch McConnell Senate Majority Leader S-230, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi House Minority Leader H-204, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer Senate Minority Leader S-221, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Speaker, Leader McConnell, Leader Pelosi and Leader Schumer:
As Congress considers reforms to strengthen our nation's health insurance system, we ask you to take immediate steps to make coverage more stable and affordable. The current state of our individual market is unsustainable and we can all agree this is a problem that needs to be fixed. Governors have already made restoring stability and affordability in this market a priority, and we look forward to partnering with you in this effort.
Most Americans currently have access to a stable source of health insurance coverage through their employer, or from public programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. While rising costs are a concern throughout the system, the volatility of the individual market is the most immediate concern, threatening coverage for 22 million Americans.
Continuing uncertainty about the direction of federal policy is driving up premiums, eliminating competition, and leaving consumers with fewer choices. Proposed premiums for the most popular exchange plans are expected to increase 18 percent in 2018 and 2.5 million residents in 1,400 counties will have only one carrier available to them on the exchange. Despite these headwinds, states continue to try to stabilize the individual market and have developed innovative solutions to preserve coverage while making insurance more affordable.
Previously, we have written that changes to our health insurance system should be based on a set of guiding principles that include improving affordability and restoring stability to insurance markets. Reforms should not shift costs to states or fail to provide the necessary resources to ensure that the working poor or those suffering from mental illness, chronic illness or addiction can get the care they need.
Based on these guiding principles, we recommend (1) immediate federal action to stabilize markets, (2) responsible reforms that preserve recent coverage gains and control costs, and (3) an active federal/state partnership that is based on innovation and a shared commitment to improve overall health system performance. Just as these proposals have brought together governors from across the political spectrum, we are confident they can attract support across party lines in both chambers of Congress.
Sincerely,
John Kasich, Governor, State of Ohio John Hickenlooper, Governor, State of Colorado Brian Sandoval, Governor, State of Nevada Tom Wolf, Governor, State of Pennsylvania Bill Walker, Governor, State of Alaska Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor, State of Virginia John Bel Edwards, Governor, State of Louisiana Steve Bullock, Governor, State of Montana
A Bipartisan Approach to Strengthen Our Nation's Individual Health Insurance MarketsMENU OF STATE REFORM OPTIONS TO SUPPLEMENT FEDERAL REFORMS
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