by Ariele Vaccaro
Wisconsin governor and GOP presidential candidate Scott Walker
Governor Scott Walker unveiled a new healthcare plan he would use to replace the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, if he were to become president.
During a Tuesday campaign stop in Minnesota, Walker highlighted the new plan’s strengths. In the plan called “The Day One Patient Freedom Plan,” Walker criticizes the Affordable Care Act.
“ObamaCare made an already broken system worse. It was written by lawmakers who believe the federal government always knows best. My plan will restore the full freedom to choose your own health care to the American people. My plan will once again put patients and their families in control.”
The plan would lower health insurance premiums by giving refundable tax credits to those who don’t receive health insurance through their employers. Those who receive credit would then use the funds to shop for health insurance and put any extra money into a “health savings account.”
The amount that any given citizen would get would be contingent on their age. The older the American, the greater their tax credit would be.
According to the plan, states would control their own health care laws. It also includes some Medicaid reform.
The proposal has faced criticism from those in the Wisconsin governor’s own aisle, however. Fellow Republican presidential candidate and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal labeled the plan “Obamacare-lite,” claiming it would perform much like the Affordable Care Act.
“It is frankly shocking that a Republican candidate for President would author a cradle to grave plan like this,” said Jindal in an Aug. 18 statement.