Barrasso says focus of health care overhaul is lower costs

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso says the focus of Republicans crafting a new health care law is on lowering premiums.

Barrasso is a member of the committee that is drafting legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act that was enacted during President Barack Obama’s administration.

Barrasso tells the Casper Star-Tribune (https://bit.ly/2rNq04U ) that he wants to protect people with pre-existing conditions and he’s open to a proposal to expand state programs for people who are unable to obtain or afford insurance because of those conditions.

Barrasso, who is an orthopedic surgeon, said he is intrigued by the idea of high-risk pools, which helps people gain insurance when they had previously been denied based on pre-existing conditions or had been quoted extremely expensive insurance.

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Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, https://www.trib.com