{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/diaz-balart-votes-better-more-affordable-health-care-system-americans", "D\u00edaz-Balart Votes for a Better, More Affordable Health Care System for Americans", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Mario Diaz-Balart", "D000600", "mariodiazbalart.house.gov", "mariodiazbalart", "https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Mario D\u00edaz-Balart (FL-26), Dean of the Florida Delegation, issued the following statement after voting earlier this week in favor of the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which would begin the process of reforming the \u201cUnaffordable\" Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and stripping the perverse incentives that act as bailouts for big insurance companies and that drive up healthcare costs for the everyday American.\n\n\u201cAs my record shows, I have always been in support of creating a better, more affordable healthcare system for all Americans. Unfortunately, the Democrat plan to permanently extend COVID-era subsidies as it stands, without reforms, would cost the American taxpayer $350 billion over 10 years while continuing to raise premiums.\n\nObamacare has been disastrous since its inception and has cost taxpayers billions of dollars, raising premiums by 80%, limiting choices, creating loopholes that insurers can exploit, and leaving taxpayers stuck covering the bill.\n\nThe implementation of the COVID-era subsidies created the opportunity for massive waste, fraud, and abuse, as evidenced by a GAO report that cited 58,000 enrollees matching Social Security death records, with 7,000 of them reported dead before enrollment began. In other terms, that equates to $94 million in taxpayer money sent to health insurers on behalf of deceased people. This is just one of numerous examples of wasteful spending.\n\nThe bill House Republicans passed is meant to fix those problems, not by spending more taxpayer money, but by making the system less susceptible to fraud and more transparent, competitive, and flexible.\n\nAmericans deserve to see the doctors they choose at a price they can afford. I remain committed to working with my colleagues in delivering real solutions.\u201d\n\nWhat the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act Does:\n\nLowers monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs for everyone by 11%\n\nIt keeps insurance premiums from spiking and helps lower deductibles and copays by implementing cost-sharing reduction payments\n\nWhy it matters: Without this, insurers pass the costs directly to you, the taxpayer, by increasing premiums\n\nExposes hidden costs from prescription drug middlemen\n\nIt forces drug middlemen to be honest about where your money is going.\n\nWhat\u2019s the problem now? Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) negotiate drug prices behind closed doors and keep rebates for themselves \u2013 often raising prices for patients and employers. They buy the drug at the real price, sell it at a higher price, and keep the difference.\n\nWhat this bill does:\n\nRequires PBMs to show employers exactly how much drugs cost\n\nShows where rebates or reimbursements go\n\nExposes hidden markups\n\nWhy it matters? More transparency = lower drug prices and lower premiums\n\nHelps small businesses and self-employed/independent workers to get cheaper insurance\n\nIt lets small businesses and self-employed workers band together to buy insurance like big companies do.\n\nWhy that helps: Big companies get cheaper rates because they buy insurance in bulk.\n\nThis bill lets small businesses, gig workers, and independent contractors do the same thing. Gig workers are most affected by expiration (Uber drivers, photographers, etc.)\n\nResult: more affordable plans, more doctors to choose from, better coverage.\n\nLets everyday Americans choose the health plan that works best for them\n\nInstead of your boss picking one plan, you get the money and choose your own plan.\n\nHow it works:\n\nEmployers give workers tax-free money\n\nWorkers use it to buy the plan they want\n\nYou can keep your plan if you change jobs\n\nWhy it matters: more freedom, more control, and coverage that fits your life \u2013 not your employer\u2019s.\n\nProtects small businesses from excessive red tape\n\nIt stops unnecessary regulations that drive up costs for small businesses\n\nWhat that means:\n\nSmall businesses can protect themselves from massive medical claims\n\nThey can offer health benefits without drowning in paperwork\n\nInsurance stays affordable instead of being regulated out of reach\n\nWhy it matters:\n\nWhen small businesses can afford coverage, more workers get insured, and small businesses can compete", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/diaz-balart-votes-better-more-affordable-health-care-system-americans"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5792548656463623, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}