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By Frank Lockwood
WASHINGTON — Unless Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill cooperate, the nation's health care system won't get the fixes it needs, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., told an American Enterprise Institute audience Tuesday.
The lawmaker from Hot Springs has introduced legislation that he calls the Fair Care Act.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) spoke about the Fair Care Act at an American Enterprise Institute (AEI) event titled, "After Repeal and Replace: the Fair Care Act and the 2020 Campaign Plans." Westerman gave the following remarks:
Growing up in rural Arkansas, I've seen how important local pharmacies are to their communities. These pharmacies provide so much more than prescriptions – they often stock everything from soap to socks. Large-scale chain pharmacies just don't have the same appeal and can't offer the same level of personal service.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) joined U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and 358 cosponsors to pass H.R. 748, the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019.
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) joined U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and Chair of the Energy and Commerce Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, to introduce H.R. 3379, the Price Relief, Innovation, and Competition for Essential Drugs (PRICED) Act. The PRICED Act reduces the exclusivity period for biologics from 12 years to five years, allowing generic versions to enter the marketplace sooner and increase competition. Fifteen other original cosponsors joined Schakowsky and Westerman.
WASHINGTON – Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its final drug pricing rule, which fails to address the direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees levied by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) onto pharmacists. The announcement follows a letter sent by the Arkansas delegation to HHS Secretary Alex Azar in support of a proposed rule change which would have essentially eliminated DIR fees.
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) introduced the Keeping Our Promises Act, a bill that would add nine medical conditions recognized by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) as having evidence of exposure to certain herbicides used by the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.), Scott Tipton (R-Colo.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.), Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Ann Kuster (D-N.H.) joined the bill as cosponsors.
More than two decades ago, when my son Eli was just one month old, he contracted an extremely contagious illness known as Respiratory Syncytial Virus. When he didn't respond to treatment, doctors recommended four to five doses of a new, uninsured antiviral drug costing $5,000 per dose.
Americans across the country are experiencing similar situations at an alarmingly increasing rate. Necessary healthcare services are outrageously expensive, but economics go out the window when your loved one requires care.
As the 10-year mark of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) passage approaches, Republican Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman is introducing legislation to increase access to health care and give states more freedom within the framework of the ACA Monday night.
Republicans had to surrender their hopes of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act when they lost the House in 2018. Westerman said his wide-ranging "Fair Care Act" leans into the "free market" aspects of the ACA exchanges.