GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
LOT OF CRITICS BUT SOME ARE
SAYING THE CRITICISM SO FAR, IT
HAS BEEN PREMATURE.
AS THERE ANY THING THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO LEAD AND A FIGHT?
>> THE PROBLEM WITH THE CBO
REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF THE
REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL, 24 MILLION
PEOPLE LOSING THEIR INSURANCE, I
THINK IT IS DEAD ON ARRIVAL.
START.
THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO TO
IMPROVE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
AND I VOTED FOR A NUMBER OF THEM
ALREADY AND I AM OPEN TO FURTHER
IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT YOU CANNOT PULL THE RUG OUT
FROM UNDERNEATH THESE PEOPLE.
HAMPSHIRE.
I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING TO OUR
RURAL HOSPITALS, LEBANON TO
PETERBOROUGH THIS WEEK, AND
THESE ARE SMALL HOSPITALS
SERVING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IF YOU PULL OUT 10% OF THE
PEOPLE THAT FINALLY GOT HEALTH
INSURANCE THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT AND PULL THE RUG OUT
FROM UNDERNEATH THEM, THOSE
HOSPITALS ARE REALLY IN DANGER.
IN MOST PLACES THOSE ARE THE
LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE
COMMUNITY.
IMPACT.
THEY HAVE GOT TO COME BACK WITH
SOMETHING THAT IS A LOT MORE
WORKABLE IN ORDER TO GET A
SENATE.
>> UNLESS THERE IS A MAJOR
POSITION ON WHY REPUBLICANS WANT
TO REPEAL OBAMACARE, IT WILL
GRANTS.
A BAG OF MONEY THE GOVERNMENT
WILL GIVE TO THE STATE TO APPLY
FIT.
THE CRITICISM HAS BEEN THAT IT
IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
WHY ISN'T IT ENOUGH?
>> FIRST OF ALL, IT DOESN'T
START OUT BEING ENOUGH, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY AS YOU GO FORWARD
FROM YEAR TO YEAR THE BLOCK
GRANT DOES NOT GROW BY THE
AMOUNT OF HEALTH CARE INFLATION
SO IT DOESN'T KEEP UP WITH THE
COST OF HEALTH CARE.
MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR A LIKE
NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE BLOCK GRANT
IS A FIXED AMOUNT.
THINK OF IT AS A CAP AMOUNT PER
PERSON IN THE MEDICAID PROGRAM.
THE PROBLEM IS IT DOES NOT
CIRCUMSTANCES.
TAKE THIS TERRIBLE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC THAT HAS HIT NEW
HAMPSHIRE SO FAR, OR YOU COULD
THINK OF ZIKA OR EBOLA.
SOMETHING HAPPENING TO THE
PUBLIC HEALTH THAT NEEDS A MORE
VIGOROUS RESPONSE AND INSTEAD
THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE WOULD
JUST BE LEFT HIGH AND DRY.
DOWNSHIFTING FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO STATES AND
MUNICIPALITIES TO TRY TO TAKE
CARE OF PEOPLE IN THEIR
COMMUNITY THAT SUFFER FROM
ILLNESS OR INJURY.
>> I WILL POINT OUT THAT A
NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS IN
PROPOSAL SO LET'S TALK ABOUT
THINGS THAT YOU BELIEVE DO NEED
TO CHANGE IN THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT.
A LOT OF DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID IT
DOES NEED TO BE FIXED.
FROM YOUR STANDPOINT, WHERE?
>> HERE IS THE GROUP OF PEOPLE
THAT I AM FOCUSED ON.
I TALKED TO PEOPLE ALL AROUND
FAMILIES.
THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR
30'S THAT HAVE GOTTEN PAST THAT
AGE OF 26 WHERE THEY ARE OFF
THEIR PARENTS INSURANCE.
THEY ARE JUST GETTING STARTED
OUT IN THE ECONOMY, MAYBE THEY
HAVE GOTTEN THREE OR FOUR YEARS
UNDER THEIR BELT.
THEY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE BUT THE PROBLEM HAS
BEEN THE PREMIUMS ARE TOO HIGH
AND THE CO-PAYS AND DEDUCTIBLES,
THE OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES ARE
JUST TOO MUCH.
ONE OF THE WHOLE PURPOSES BEHIND
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS
TIMELY WAY.
WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS THAT THESE
PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE
INSURANCE THEY NEED, NOT GETTING
THE COVERAGE THEY NEED AND
THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
I AM PARTICULARLY HEARTBROKEN OF
STORIES OF YOUNG COUPLES
AFFORD TO HAVE A BABY.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT OUR
SOCIETY AND OUR CULTURE THAT WE
ARE NOT INVESTING IN THESE YOUNG
FAMILIES TO STAY AND LIVE AND
THRIVE RIGHT THERE IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE?
THAT IS WHERE I AM FOCUSED.
LET'S BRING DOWN PREMIUMS, BRING
DOWN THE COST OF HEALTH CARE AND
THE WAY WE DO THAT IS THROUGH
INVESTING IN PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING, PREVENTATIVE CARE,
AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE
NOT JUST SHOWING UP AT THE
EMERGENCY ROOM WITH VERY
EXPENSIVE ILLNESSES.
THAT IS ONE STEP.
ANOTHER STEP I WANT TO TACKLE IS
MEDICATION.
IT WAS A BIG GIVEAWAY DURING THE
GEORGE BUSH YEARS, WHERE WE
ADDED MEDICARE PART D AND DIDN'T
NEGOTIATE THE PRICE OF
MEDICATION WITH THE BIG
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THAT COULD BE A BIPARTISAN
APPROACH, WOULD REALLY HELP TO
HEALTH CARE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE
ALSO TALK ABOUT, SOMETHING
CALLED THE CADILLAC TAX.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
HARD-WORKING FAMILIES THAT HAVE
PERHAPS OVER THE YEARS NOT SEEN
THE PAY RAISES THEY WANT THAT
MAYBE HAVE GOTTEN BETTER AND IF
IT'S, WE SHOULDN'T BE PENALIZING
THESE PEOPLE FOR TRYING TO TAKE
CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.
THE LIST GOES ON.
THAT ARE BIPARTISAN THAT WE
COULD BE DOING BUT THE MAIN
THING IS, LET'S PROVIDE ACCESS
COST.
INTERESTINGLY, THAT IS WHAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE WANTED
TO DO BUT THIS PROPOSAL ON
JOB DONE.
JOSH: ACCORDING TO EVERYTHING
CLEAR ABOUT THIS, A LOT OF
CRITICS OF OBAMACARE BELIEVE
THAT IF IT IS AN CHANGED IN A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS A LOT
OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IS GOING TO
IT WILL NOT SUSTAIN ITSELF.
LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE
INDIVIDUAL MANDATE?
EXIST WITHOUT THE INDIVIDUAL
THE FUTURE?
>> WHAT IS INTERESTING, THEIR
DIFFERENT NAME.
IT IS GOING TO HIT THESE YOUNG
PEOPLE WITH A SEVERE PENALTY,
30% COST OF THE INSURANCE AS A
PENALTY IF THEY GO WITHOUT
COVERAGE FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.
MODELS AND I AM WILLING TO BE
OPEN TO IT.
THE IDEA IS YOU WANT COVERAGE
FOR THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE
AND SO THAT EVERYBODY IS IN THIS
TOGETHER, THEY ARE GETTING THE
PREVENTATIVE CARE, GETTING CARE
EARLY, NOT SHOWING UP AT THE
EMERGENCY ROOM WITH SOME EXTREME
CONDITION THAT IS VERY COSTLY.
I THINK WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO
GET PEOPLE INTO THE SYSTEM IN A
FOCUS ON WELLNESS.
LET'S ADDRESS THOSE FIVE TOP
COST DRIVERS OF DIABETES, HEART
DISEASE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
OBESITY, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE
AND STAY HEALTHY.
THERE IS A LOT WE CAN DO WITH
THE TAX CODE TO INCENTIVIZE
THAT.
GET PEOPLE TO GO GET THEIR
SLEET AND TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES.
I THINK THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS
WE CAN DO THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE
TO STAY WELL AND BE WELL AND
FRANKLY NOT NEED TO RELY ON A
WHEN THEY ARE ILL AND INJURED.
JOSH: WE ARE JUST ABOUT OUT OF
TIME BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
VOTERS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE
STATUS QUO.
IS THERE A RECOGNITION, A
COLLECTIVE RECOGNITION IN
WASHINGTON THIS TIME AROUND THAT
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT OR ANYTHING
ELSE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
COMMITTEE.
IT IS ONE OF THE VERY BIPARTISAN
COMMITTEES.
CAN YESTERDAY, THE NEW SECRETARY
FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
A BIPARTISAN WAY.
YOU KNOW I AM DOING THE
BIPARTISAN OPIOID TASK FORCE AND
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK
WE HAVE GOING.
85 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WORKING
TOGETHER.
I WILL BE LAUNCHING A BIPARTISAN
TASK FORCE ON SEXUAL ASSAULT AND
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE THAT I WOULD BE
LEGISLATION, AND WOULD BE
HOLDING HERE IS -- HEARINGS ON
THIS ISSUE ABOUT MARINES AND THE
VERY UNFORTUNATE, WHAT WE CALL
"SEXTORTION" THE HARASSMENT
ONLINE OF MARINES.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF ISSUES WE
THAT HAS BEEN MY GOAL SINCE I
GOT TO CONGRESS.
PRESIDENT AND I WOULD LOVE TO
BUDGET BECAUSE I AM VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE CUTS THAT
ARE PROPOSED BUT WE CAN ALWAYS
FIND WORDS WHERE WE CAN FIND
COMMON GROUND.
THAT IS WHAT I PLAN TO GET DONE.
GET DONE.
MORNING.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
WITH THE NEWLY MINTED CANDIDATE