[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 173 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6347-S6348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HEALTHCARE

  Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, what we heard this week from my 
Democratic colleagues on healthcare is more of the same--more 
fearmongering and more misinformation.
  The issue this week is about what is called 1332 waivers. These 
waivers allow States flexibility in how they implement healthcare 
programs. It is a simple concept. Every State is different. Every State 
should have the flexibility to design their healthcare programs and 
regulations in a way to best meet the needs of their citizens.
  As a former Governor I know how important this is. Top-down, one-
size-fits-all Federal healthcare programs increase costs and aren't the 
way to best serve the needs of the American people. Even the Democrats 
realized that when they passed ObamaCare. They created the 1332 waiver 
for State innovation.
  As Governor, I used a similar waiver authority, an 1115 Medicaid 
waiver to reform our Medicaid system and transition it from a fee-for-
service to a managed care system. This resulted in lower costs to 
taxpayers and better service and access for Florida families--a win-
win.
  These waivers work, and if you believe in States' rights, these 
waivers are the way to give States the opportunity to provide better 
healthcare to their citizens. But here is the problem: The Democrats 
don't believe in States' rights or allowing State taxpayers and 
citizens any flexibility to provide better healthcare services to their 
citizens. The Democrats want these top-down, one-size-fits-all Federal 
programs. If there is choice and flexibility, they want to restrict it. 
It is how Big Government works, and the Democrats love Big Government, 
restrictive mandates, and socialism.
  When the Democrats are not attacking Republicans for trying to 
dismantle ObamaCare, the Democrats turn around to their supporters and 
talk about their efforts to replace ObamaCare.
  They don't want to keep ObamaCare programs as they are. They know 
ObamaCare is not working. They want to replace it with Medicare for 
All,

[[Page S6348]]

which would be the biggest expansion of government healthcare in 
history. By some estimates, Medicare for All would cost more than $30 
trillion over 10 years. This one program would double the Federal 
budget and would require massive tax increases on each and every man, 
woman, and child in America.
  Right now, we collect $3 trillion in Federal revenue. Medicare for 
All would require everyone's Federal taxes to more than double. 
Coincidentally, the Congressional Budget Office has so far been unable 
to do an official score of the Medicare for All bill. I have asked the 
sponsor of the bill, the junior Senator from Vermont, who happens to be 
the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, to join me in 
requesting the CBO score for his bill. So far, crickets.
  Why wouldn't the Senator want a score of his bill? It is because the 
Democrats don't want you to know how much it would cost. They don't 
want you to know how many people would lose the employer-sponsored 
healthcare they have and like. They don't want you to know how much 
taxes would have to go up.
  Medicare for All is the Democrats' dream: every American on a 
government-run healthcare program, every American reliant on the 
Federal Government for their healthcare. Any effort to undermine this 
goal is anathema to them.
  So this week they are going after 1332 waivers and claiming they 
somehow undermine protections for people with preexisting conditions. 
The Senate Democratic leader claimed yesterday that these waivers are 
an effort to ``sabotage healthcare for millions.''
  I find that statement interesting. I wonder what Democratic Governor 
Jared Polis of Colorado thinks of the Democratic leader's claim that he 
is trying to sabotage healthcare. His State used these 1332 waivers to 
offer healthcare plans to best meet the needs of Coloradans. They have 
seen premiums go down by 16 percent.
  I wonder what Democratic Governor John Carney of Delaware would say? 
His State also used this waiver and has seen premiums drop by 13 
percent.
  I wonder what Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island would 
say? Premiums in her State have gone down 6 percent since they got 
their 1332 waiver.
  Contrary to the misinformation from the Democratic leader, these 
waivers do not eliminate protections for people with preexisting 
conditions. These core protections, which I strongly support, remain 
unchanged.
  This is personal to me. My brother grew up with a preexisting 
condition, and my mother had to drive 200 miles to a charity hospital 
just to get treatment for him. The Democrats are misrepresenting the 
facts about 1332 waivers because they realize they are losing the 
argument.
  Remember the ObamaCare promise: You can keep your insurance plan, 
your doctor, and every family will save $2,500. ObamaCare only 
benefited hospitals, insurance companies, and the pharmaceutical 
industry. That is why they originally supported it. But for the average 
American, millions lost their insurance and their doctors, premiums 
skyrocketed, deductibles skyrocketed. The result is that while more 
people have healthcare insurance, fewer people have access to 
healthcare. Now they want to double down with Medicare for All.
  There are three problems with our current healthcare system, all 
caused by government: cost, cost, and cost. None of the Democrats' 
proposals would do a thing to address the cost of healthcare. Their 
proposals only make the problem worse. Keep that in mind as you listen 
to the Democrats' fearmongering on healthcare. They have to 
misrepresent information because they can't defend their own position.
  The American people don't want and can't afford Medicare for All. We 
need to reduce healthcare costs and provide a safety net for those who 
cannot afford their healthcare, not create a Federal Government-
organized healthcare market, which causes healthcare costs to 
skyrocket.
  Giving flexibility to the States is an easy way to increase access 
and quality of care for the American people. So, of course, Democrats 
oppose that--except for the Democratic Governors who are doing it every 
day.
  If you needed any more evidence of how out of touch Washington 
Democrats have become, look no further than their criticism and their 
vote against Democratic Governors for supporting good policies that 
make sense.
  Enough with the misrepresentations, enough with the nonsense, enough 
with the fearmongering. The American people deserve better.
  Let's work together to lower the cost of healthcare so that all 
taxpayers can get the care they need at a price they can afford.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Braun). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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