Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act is sponsored by Dr. Wenstrup and Representative Earl Blumenauer. I thank my colleague Dr. Wenstrup and my friend Earl Blumenauer for their tireless work in healthcare and on healthcare issues.

As Earl prepares to retire, I recognize that he has long been a champion for improving care and services for those with chronic illnesses. I will miss his leadership on the Ways and Means Committee and in Congress.

While I voted against the bill in committee, I do understand the principle about trying to protect people from high out-of-pocket costs. This bill codifies the safe harbor for preventive services for high- deductible plans that offer additional preventive benefits predeductible.

Given that the bill codifies the regulation, it is not making a new policy or giving Americans any protections they don't currently enjoy.

While I understand the desire to help workers stuck in high- deductible plans, we really need to look at the impact high-deductible plans are having on patients and families and how they contribute to medical debt.

More than 100 million Americans are saddled with medical debt that can often be as a result of plans with high deductibles. We know out- of-pocket costs deter Americans from getting the care that they need, and we must change that.

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Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

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