Republican presidential contender Jeb Bush said that the Affordable Care Act was a "monstrosity" that consolidated power in Washington and should be repealed once President Barack Obama leaves the White House,
Politico reported.
Bush made the remarks Friday at a fundraiser for Iowa Rep. David Young in which he also touted his
conservative credentials as Florida governor.
Referring to the Obama administration, Bush said, "The thrill is gone. I want to win. I want our party to win,"
The Daily Iowan reported.
Bush said he favored a "consumer-directed" healthcare plan that restores the patient-doctor relationship. This would give patients more choices and, "if there were to be subsidies," these would be administered by the state.
He said he was against "coercive exchanges," employer mandates, employee mandates, and "requirements of services provided that are extraordinary," according to Politico.
He saw a role for government in providing Americans with catastrophic medical coverage. "The rest of it ought to be shifted back where individuals are empowered to make more decisions themselves," Bush said.
Catastrophic health coverage for a devastating illness or injury is cheaper than comprehensive medical insurance that covers everyday healthcare, according to Politico.
Bush mentioned the Medicaid reforms he instituted as governor between 1999 and 2007 that allowed poor patients to choose their own health insurance using vouchers. Analysts said the approach cut costs to taxpayers and reduced the need for fraud monitoring.
The program did not reimburse for specific services, but paid health providers directly the same amount each month. But insurance companies decided which medical providers to work with, limiting patient choice, according to
U.S. News.
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