Legislation and regulations to change the Affordable Care Act need to be made this year to make the changeover go more smoothly, says Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
"The bulk of the changes in law and the bulk of regulatory changes must occur this year," the Texas Republican told Axios.
House and Senate Republicans agreed to "not rush, that we make sure to get it right," Brady said.
More choices and more competition will decrease the cost of health care, Brady said, and states should have more say.
"You need a very strong and robust insurance market in each state, directed by those states and approved by those states," Brady told Axios.
Discussions about keeping existing taxes on Obamacare are being held, but he is against them.
"I don't want any more small businesses or patients or medical device makers to suffer under the burden of Obamacare taxes any longer," Brady said.
Replacement laws for Obamacare would not lead to 18 million people losing their coverage. He said the changes would "re-establish a market and provide more flexibility."
More choices are the key to keeping costs down, says Brady.
Hospitals having to shoulder the burden of the uninsured will change under a replacement, said Brady, and "emergency room visits have continued to increase because the Affordable Care Act was not affordable. People could not afford the out-of-pocket costs."
The Texas Republican has weighed in on the Affordable Care Act's replacement before. On Jan. 11, Brady told radio host Hugh Hewitt that the replacement would be simpler.
"Our replacement is going to be step-by-step, thoughtful, and understandable," Brady said.
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