Subject: A Response From Johnny Isakson

From: "Senator Johnny Isakson" <senator@isakson.senate.gov>

Date: 8/14/2017 10:57 AM
To: <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>

Thank you for contacting my office regarding health care reform. I appreciate hearing from
you and am grateful for the opportunity to respond.

I have supported efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare because I believe the law has failed
to deliver on its promise of making healthcare more affordable and accessible. Rates have
gone up tremendously, more than doubling in just four years since the law took effect.
People have not been able to keep their insurance, and we find ourselves on the cusp of being
forced toward a government single-payer health care system because the private markets are
collapsing. In Georgia, until this year, all 159 of our counties had two or more providers
offering health insurance. Today in 2017, 96 of our counties have just one carrier, and Blue
Cross-Blue Shield recently announced that it will pull out of the Atlanta market next year.

A more sustainable solution that drives down costs for Georgia families by increasing
competition is necessary moving forward. I believe that ensuring coverage for individuals
with preexisting conditions is critically important, as well as allowing families to keep their
children on their insurance until age 26. However, rather than having all aspects of insurance
regulated by Washington DC, I believe state insurance commissioners should regulate the
health insurance markets, with consumers having the option to purchase insurance across
state lines. Another option I would like to see is expanding health savings accounts and
providing tax credits to help individuals purchase from a broader range of more affordable
coverage options.

Recently, the Senate's attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare was stalled following a
failed vote. The Health Care Freedom Act of 2017 failed to pass the Senate on a 49-51 vote
on July 29th, 2017. While I am disappointed that our efforts to repeal the failing law came up
short, I will keep continue fighting to ensure that all Georgians have access to affordable and
comprehensive health care. It is time for Republicans and Democrats to stop making excuses
and come together to find solutions that will help consumers.

As a member of the two committees with jurisdiction over healthcare reform, the Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee as well as the Senate Finance Committee,
I will continue to work hard to improve our country's health care system and I am committed
to making it more accessible and more affordable to all Georgians.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please visit my webpage at http://isakson.senate.gov/ for
more information on the issues important to you and to sign up for my e-newsletter.
Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

For future correspondence with my office, please visit my web site at

http://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me. You can also click here to sign up
for the eNewsletter