A health care policy advocated by U.S. Senator Rand Paul was signed by President Trump as an executive order Thursday.
Paul, a Republican from Bowling Green, has been promoting the concept of 'association health plans' that allow Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines. Paul has been advocating for the plans in the White House, with Congress and across Kentucky.
Paul said the president’s action approving association health plans is an important first step in moving away from the Affordable Care Act.
“I think reform has a great chance to give millions of people access to insurance and also insurance at less of a cost," Paul said. "I think it’s going to be good insurance. I think it’s going to be insurance similar to what people get in big corporations and that’s why I’m pushing it.”
The plans allows small businesses or other organizations to pool together across state lines, through their membership in a trade or professional group, to purchase health coverage for their employees and their families.
Paul said the president’s action will make health care more accessible to many Americans.
“If we allow groups like the National Restaurant Association to allow all the fast food restaurants who are their members to pool together their employees, and one person would negotiate for millions of people, then we can bring down and drive down the price.”
Paul said he would like to see executive order eventually lead to legislative action on the association plans.
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