WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, joined by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and John Barrasso (R-WY), today asked Republican governors for their input and ideas for alternatives to Obamacare’s mandates, taxes and higher premiums if Congress were able to repeal the law and replace it with real reform.

“We believe this law is flawed beyond repair, and the only true solution is to repeal Obamacare,” the senators wrote in their letter to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, chairman of the Republican Governors Public Policy Committee. “But that’s not enough. Obamacare must be replaced with reforms that Americans support.  We have advocated some of these types of reforms for many years, approaches like insurance policies tailored to those with pre-existing conditions, promoting wellness and reining in junk lawsuits.” 

The senators wrote that Washington is not the only repository of good ideas, noting that some of the best policy innovations, such as welfare reform and tax reform, were state initiatives long before they became policy in the nation’s capital.

“As Republicans, we believe that Washington works best when it listens more, and lectures less,” according to the letter. “That is why we write . . . to ask Republican governors to share with us how Obamacare is impacting your states and solicit your thoughts on how we can work together on policies to replace Obamacare with commonsense, step-by-step reforms that will lower costs and increase access to care.” 

Noting that states have long overseen individual health insurance and Medicaid, the senators said that any successful healthcare reform would require a true state-federal partnership – not the mandates that Obamacare has imposed on states.
 
“That’s why we want to work with you to develop our best ideas together, and show Americans who are frustrated and fearful of Obamacare that there is a better way,” the lawmakers wrote. 

Read the letter here.