Cruz Rescues Republicans on Obamacare Stephen Moore Posted: Jul 18, 2017

Republicans are finally getting smart on Obamacare. It took one of the savviest Republican senators -- Ted Cruz of Texas, with an assist from Mike Lee of Utah -- to get the GOP to figure out how to replace Obamacare, reduce premiums and save money for the government, all without alienating millions of voters. He's pulled the Republicans' fannies out of the fire, flipping a losing strategy into a big-time winner.
The Cruz amendment -- which has been inserted into the GOP Senate health plan -- is smart, because it doesn't take anything away from anyone. If you want Obamacare, you can have it. You can have the coverage for the 10 "essential benefits"; you can have the subsidies and exchanges that were supposed to save $2,500 per family. It's still there for you.
The Cruz amendment introduces what is called the "Consumer Freedom Option." The Consumer Freedom Option allows insurers who offer Obamacare-compliant plans to offer a range of less costly plans. In other words, it empowers people and families to pick and choose what they want in their own insurance packages. Some families want, and can afford, blanket coverage that insures them for everything from cancer to contraceptives. If you want to pay for that coverage, go for it.
What about people with lower incomes or healthy lifestyles that want the other extreme? They can opt for slimmed-down coverage that protects them from major medical expenses, such as costly ongoing treatments for a serious disease. These families may choose to pay for more routine medical expenses, such as checkups, out of pocket. One benefit is that since more people will pay directly for medical services, they are likely to shop around for the best prices, and this competition will lower prices for everyone.

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