Issue Position: Healthcare

Issue Position

Senator Warner is committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to fix the ACA, while preserving the parts of the law that are working. His proposed changes will make the ACA more flexible and affordable for consumers, reduce the regulatory burden on businesses, and provide expanded access to health care across the Commonwealth.

Before, during and after the debate on health care reform and the Affordable Care Act, Senator Warner consistently said the ACA was not perfect and would require improvements and fixes to make sure it works for Virginia families. He also has been clear that America cannot return to the days when insurance companies routinely denied health insurance coverage to folks with preexisting conditions, imposed caps on benefits, and charged women more for health care than men.

With key bipartisan fixes and improvements, the ACA can help deliver higher quality, more affordable health care to Virginians. Senator Warner believes we need to keep the good parts of the ACA and fix the parts that aren't working, and he will continue to work with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to implement any ideas that improve the law.

Some of Senator Warner's targeted improvements to ensure Virginia families have affordable, high-quality health care options include:

The Expanded Consumer Choice Act

Mark worked with a group of colleagues to create a new, lower cost option called the Copper Plan. This plan provides a lower-cost, higher-deductible option that still meets essential health benefits and important consumer benefits. This lower cost plan will spur competition, provide consumers more control, and increase affordability.

Coverage Beyond State Boundaries

Mark introduced a proposal to direct state insurance commissioners to work together to design a model that would allow insurers to offer coverage across state boundaries. The model would help increase transparency, competition and choice, which could drive down costs while maintaining quality and value.

Helping Small Businesses

In an effort to mitigate burdensome reporting requirements, Senator Warner introduced a proposal that will make it easier for small business owners to report the hours worked by their employees. In addition, Mark cosponsored legislation that will give small businesses more flexibility by expanding the option to provide coverage to employers with fewer than 100 employees, which includes about 98 percent of all businesses. After hearing from Virginia small business owners, Mark is working to expand current tax credits to include businesses with fewer than 50 employees -- instead of the current cap at 25 employees.

Coverage for First Responders

Mark successfully worked with his colleagues across the aisle to exempt volunteer emergency responders from the healthcare employer mandate so they can continue to protect Virginia communities.

Value and Innovation

Mark led a coalition of ten Senators in introducing the "Value and Innovation" package that promotes new ways of making the health care industry more accountable, innovative, and cost conscious in delivering health care to consumers. The bipartisan package, cosponsored by Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, broadened and accelerated parts of the ACA aimed at increasing innovation in our health care system to drive down costs.

Senator Warner is committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to fix the ACA, while preserving the parts of the law that are working. His proposed changes will make the ACA more flexible and affordable for consumers, reduce the regulatory burden on businesses, and provide expanded access to health care across the Commonwealth.

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