Vice President Mike Pence made a speech yesterday regarding healthcare. The speech comes at a critical time for Congress, as the Senate continues to shape its version of the American Health Care Act.
Mr. Pence addressed the Department of Health and Human Services to address the ACA, which he described as "literally the 'death spiral' of Obamacare." Here are five key takeaways from the speech:
1. President Trump wants to repeal and replace the ACA. "President Donald Trump is going to keep his promise to the American people, and working with this Congress, we're going to repeal and replace Obamacare."
2. Future efforts will continue to focus on lowering costs and increasing quality. "We want a dynamic national, health insurance market place that lowers costs, increases quality and gives more choices to working families."
3. New healthcare laws will give states more power. "We want to give states the freedom and flexibility to create the healthcare system that works best for them, for their most vulnerable."
4. There will be fewer regulations. "As we speak, the American people should be encouraged to know that under the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and hardworking members of the U.S. Senate majority, the Senate is, as we speak, working tirelessly to improve this legislation and create an orderly framework to transition our healthcare economy away from the regulations and mandates and taxes of Obamacare to a patient-centered healthcare system built on personal responsibility, ree-market competition and state-based reform."