Forget Congress: Trump and the states can fix healthcare on their own

Once again, it appears healthcare reform has died in Congress, and now that time is running out for Republicans to take advantage of the Senate's budget reconciliation rules, it looks as though there's virtually no chance healthcare reform will be passed in the near future.

Adding insult to injury was a Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, statement announcing her rejection of the Graham-Cassidy healthcare proposal, in which she complained the legislation would have cut too much of the federal government's funding of Medicaid and that the bill would "open the door for states to weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions … Some states could allow higher premiums [and] … could also limit specific categories of benefits for Affordable Care Act policies, such as eliminating coverage for mental health or substance abuse treatment."

Let's get this straight: Collins says she opposes the Graham-Cassidy proposal because it would reduce federal involvement in healthcare and allow states to choose what kind of healthcare policies would work best for their own people. What a stunning statement from a Republican senator and alleged supporter of free-market, pro-liberty reforms!

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