Issue Position: Healthcare
Issue Position
The Department of Agriculture provided more than $1 billion in fiscal year 2017 to be used to improve access to health care services for 2.5 million people in rural communities.
President Trump mobilized his entire Administration to address drug addiction and opioid abuse by directing the declaration of a Nationwide Public Health Emergency.
President Trump created a bipartisan opioid commission and they issued 56 recommendations to help defeat the opioid crisis.
In October 2017, President Trump directed The Department of Health And Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency, allowing grant money to be used to combat abuse.
President Trump signed the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response By Detecting Incoming Contraband With Technology (INTERDICT Act) that would give customs agents $9 million for screening tools on the border.
President Trump appropriated more money to the cause. In April 2017, HHS announced it would provide $485 million in grants to states and territories to combat the opioid crisis. In fiscal year 2017, HHS invested nearly $900 million in opioid-specific funding.
President Trump proposed changes to Medicaid to combat the opioid crisis.
President Trump signed an Executive order to reform the United States healthcare system to take the first steps to expand choices and alternatives to Obamacare plans and increase competition to bring down costs for consumers.
The Secretary of Labor agreed to expand access to Association Health Plans (AHPs), which could potentially allow American employers to form groups across State lines.
The Executive Order directed the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to implement the changes.
President Trump concluded there is no appropriations for cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurance companies under Obamacare.
CSR payments have no authority and are unlawful.
The bailout of insurance companies through these unlawful payments is yet another example of how the previous administration abused taxpayer dollars and skirted the law to prop up a broken system.
President Trump repealed Obamacare's individual mandate, which required individuals to purchase a health care plan they may not want or be able to afford.
IMPROVING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY HEALTHCARE:
President Trump repealed the individual mandate, which forced people to buy expensive insurance.
The mandate disproportionately hurt the poor: 80% of those affected made less than $50,000.
Expanded access to Association Health Plans (AHPs) allowing small business to pool risk across states.
Enacted $31 billion in Obamacare tax relief.
President Trump signed a six-year extension of CHIP to fund healthcare for 9 million children.
Under President Trump, The FDA has approved the most number of generic drugs in history in order to increase competition in the marketplace and lower the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans.
Efforts are being realized on the side of the consumer as prices have gone down and drug competition has gone up.
Under President Trump, Americans have access to more affordable healthcare with the ruling from the Department of Treasury that allows for Short-Term Limited Duration plans to be extended up to 12 months.
August 2018 - HHS awarded $125 million in grants to 1,352 community health centers across all U.S. States, Territories, and the District of Columbia.
These community health centers provide affordable, accessible, cost-effective and quality primary healthcare to young patients, rural residents and lower-income americans nationwide.
August 2018 - The FDA Helped To Facilitate Trade Between The U.S. and Foreign Trading Partners
In order to complete this the FDA announced a new export certification program for certain FDA-regulated food products and the fees it will assess for issuing new export certifications.
September 2018 - The Department Of Health And Human Services awarded $60 million to support community health center impacted by huricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria
Funding came from the Bipartisan Budget Act by President Trump in February.
September 2018 - The FDA Announced Their Global Efforts To Increase Transparency With Drug Manufacturers Worldwide
The FDA has committed to add more transparency and will continue to prioritize inspections of manufacturers to ensure a product's quality.
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