Despite Democratic claims to the contrary, conservatives
have their own plans for reforming health care
Conservatives have a wealth of policy ideas about reforming healthcare but have failed to unite around any specific policy proposal, according to multiple healthcare experts who rejected claims from Democrats that the GOP has no substantial alternatives to Obamacare and is seeking to do nothing but delay and obstruct.
Lanhee Chen, policy director for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, voiced frustration with the GOP for failing to cohere around a single reform strategy.
“I feel very strongly that Republicans have to be able to articulate an alternative to Obamacare,” said Chen. “I don’t think it’s enough for us to say Obamacare stinks and we don’t like it. I think everybody gets that.”
Avik Roy, a healthcare expert at the Manhattan Institute, concurred that this has been a problem.
“It hasn’t been a policy priority for conservatives,” Roy said.
Several Republican legislators have taken on the challenge of introducing actual legislation since Obamacare has become the law.
Rep. Tom Price (Ga.) reintroduced his “Empowering Patients First Act” this year, while the Republican Study Committee will release its own legislation as Congress comes back from the August recess, although details have been kept tightly under wraps.
Both of these proposals begin by replacing Obamacare.
“It sets up an alternative, a positive alternative,” said Price. He touted his reform as the “most comprehensive” alternative to Obamacare.
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