What a Republican-led healthy future looks like
by Reps. John Joyce, M.D., (R-Pa.) Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M., (R-Ohio) and Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), opinion contributors - 04/28/22 8:30 AM ET
The Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is finally testifying before Congress this week. Republicans are eager to deliver him an important message: Americans’ health care is personal, and Democrats’ one-size-fits-all, “Washington knows best” approach is doing little to promote a healthier future for our country. We have proposals to help all Americans live better, healthier, and longer lives by guaranteeing access to new cures, transformational medical innovations, and lowering out-of-pocket spending on drugs.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have learned a lot about the ways that we can improve our health care system. To put these lessons into action, House Republicans have created the Republican Healthy Future Task Force to develop positive, commonsense solutions to improve the health of all Americans today and in the future.
We understand that an 80-year-old widow on Medicare has different health needs than a 35-year-old single mom. Someone living in rural America has different concerns about accessing health care than our neighbors in urban areas.
One area in particular where the Biden administration is falling short is on treatments and cures, especially for diseases with clinically unmet needs. During his testimony before Congress, Secretary Becerra will be forced to publicly justify why he’s let Biden’s bureaucrats block access to Alzheimer’s drugs, cut off seniors’ access to innovative medical devices, and why he’s failed to secure America’s medical supply chains.
By contrast, our “treatments and cures” subcommittee—one of five working groups that make up the Healthy Future Task Force—has sought out real solutions.
We have spoken directly to Americans about their health care concerns, held roundtables with doctors and researchers, and heard how the Biden administration has stood in the way of treatments that could help patients. We have developed solutions based on these conversations.
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https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/3469787-what-a-republican-led-healthy-future-looks-like/
