GOP Health Plan Revealed
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told Newsmax on Wednesday that a powerful new Republican healthcare plan—led by Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.)—is designed to undo the rising costs, hidden fees, and structural failures Americans have endured under the Affordable Care Act.
Marshall spotlighted the proposal, called the Health Care Freedom for Patients Act, during an appearance on Rob Schmitt Tonight, calling it a long-overdue fix that finally puts patients—not insurance companies—back in charge of their own healthcare decisions.
Republicans Say Obamacare Drove Prices Higher
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) confirmed the Senate will vote Thursday on the Crapo-Cassidy plan, alongside a Democrat proposal to extend enhanced Obamacare tax credits.
Marshall, a physician and key member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, said Obamacare funnels roughly $150 billion every year to big insurance companies while seniors, families, and small businesses are left with higher premiums, fewer choices, and shrinking networks.
Health Savings Accounts Put Control Back in the Hands of Consumers
The Republican plan would shift part of the existing federal subsidies into health savings accounts (HSAs), allowing Americans to control a portion of the money currently handled by insurers. Marshall said this change would increase transparency, boost competition, and finally give patients the power to shop for care.
“We want Americans to have real choices. We want patients in control. That’s how you drive down healthcare costs for everyone,” he said.
Price Transparency Could Save $1 Trillion a Year
Marshall argued that one of the biggest drivers of soaring healthcare bills is Obamacare’s complex regulatory structure, which he said shields hospitals, insurers, and pharmacy benefit managers from accountability.
He cited a coalition of 40 economists who estimate that mandatory price transparency—an additional reform Marshall is pushing—could save the nation up to $1 trillion every year, while lowering healthcare costs for the average American family by as much as $1,000 a month.
America Faces a Growing Health Crisis
The senator also warned that the country’s aging population and surge in chronic diseases have placed enormous pressure on the healthcare system.
“America is, frankly, a sick nation,” Marshall said, noting that conditions such as heart disease and diabetes account for nearly 90% of all healthcare spending.
He emphasized that long-term budget stability will require both transparency reforms and improvements in public health nationwide.
Republicans Promise to Keep Fighting for Lower Costs
Even if the Crapo-Cassidy bill stalls, Marshall said Republicans will continue pushing for price transparency and lower healthcare costs, noting there is growing bipartisan support for stronger consumer protections.
“Obamacare created these problems,” he said. “We’re working to fix them—and we’re not backing down.”
