More Affordable Care Act Introduced to Reform U.S. Health Insurance Market

The More Affordable Care Act (MACA) has been introduced in the U.S. House as a companion bill to Senator Rick Scott's legislation, aiming to reform health care policy by shifting control away from insurance companies and federal bureaucracy towards consumers. This legislation addresses perceived shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by promoting competition, transparency, and consumer choice through four key reforms. One major provision is the establishment of "Trump Health Freedom Accounts," which convert federal subsidies currently given to insurers into Health Savings Account-style funds directly managed by consumers for premiums and qualified medical expenses. MACA includes a Health Freedom Waiver Program that permits states to allow health plans to be sold across state lines, potentially expanding options for individuals and introducing price competition nationwide. The bill also enhances support for small businesses by revising and expanding the small business tax credit to encourage employer-sponsored insurance, raising employee eligibility thresholds, removing salary caps, and increasing credit percentages. Furthermore, MACA codifies hospital price transparency regulations to require public disclosure of negotiated rates, cash prices, and cost-sharing information to empower patients with upfront cost information. The legislation is positioned as a market-driven alternative to the ACA, seeking to counteract rising premiums and limited plan choices cited under existing health policy. It maintains protections for preexisting conditions and ACA exchanges but introduces modifications to increase flexibility and affordability. The bill draws bipartisan interest with several House Republicans joining in sponsorship and receiving backing from policy advocacy groups focused on economic and healthcare innovation. Overall, MACA represents a concerted effort to recalibrate federal health subsidies, enhance state-level competition, improve pricing transparency, and incentivize small business participation in health insurance coverage. Its success or adoption would reshape key aspects of the U.S. health insurance landscape by prioritizing consumer choice, competitive markets, and tax incentives as mechanisms to address healthcare cost and access challenges.