Steve Daines on the various calls to address rising healthcare costs and future shutdown concerns
Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) joined Larry Kudlow on his Fox Business show, Kudlow, earlier last week to discuss how Congress should address rising healthcare costs nationwide and finding a way to avoid a possible government shutdown in January.
“Well, Larry, I hope we don’t have another shutdown.”, Daines said
He followed up by saying that if they don’t get a new CR done by January 30 of the new year, there might be a shutdown.
“We are working really hard right now on the Republican and Democratic side to get the last appropriations bills done, and I’m costly optimistic, Larry that we can get it done.”, said Daines
Senate Republicans needed eight Democrats to join them in their proposal to end the shutdown last fall.
Daines complimented his fellow Republican colleagues for holding so firm on what they wanted to put together to end the previous shutdown and reopen the government.
“No one should be allowed to hold a government shutdown hostage in an appropriations debate.”, said Daines
Kudlow continued the conversation with Daines, discussing the current healthcare crisis in America regarding drug costs and insurance affordability.
Kudlow mentioned that President Donald Trump has said that individuals should get the benefits of expanded health insurance choices, where people can choose more doctors and the benefits they want or need, rather than what a state network will offer.
He mentioned how Democrats never seem to like those types of choice benefit plans in the health insurance industry and government-funded health care systems nationwide.
“Larry, I’m not sure they want to solve this problem, and what I hear from folks across the aisle is they want to have this continue into the 2026 election cycle, with the thinking it could be a winning issue for them.”, said Daines
Daines went further into rising healthcare costs, noting that many Americans are hurting badly from these high costs and that he thought Obamacare was a failure for the American people and the healthcare industry.
“Obamacare premiums are now up half again as much as private insurance premiums.”, said Daines
Kudlow and Daines agreed that when the government takes over things like healthcare, the prices can rise very immensely because of less choice for the American consumer.
“It’s all about providing more choice to the patient, and what Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) discussed is an idea for sure.”, Daines said
He mentioned that associations should be formed within large corporations and other companies to offer more expansive corporate health insurance group plans for employees to join, saving money on health care.
Another problem Daines had with the health care system today is the subsidies Democrats fight to protect that go to insurance companies rather than consumers.
“Let the consumer control how the health care subsidies are spent.”, Daines said