U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) has detailed a plan for federal healthcare reform aimed at reducing expenses by shifting focus away from insurers.
As an experienced physician and hospital administrator, Marshall told Newsmax that addressing the high cost of healthcare was his primary motivation for entering Congress. “I came to Congress to fix the cost of healthcare,” he stated.
The senator’s proposals center on redirecting some federal funds previously routed through insurance companies directly toward patients. He emphasized this approach would save families money and promote greater control over healthcare expenses, describing it as a necessary step taken from his perspective regardless of political affiliation or ideology.
Marshall specifically criticized what he termed “empowering insurance companies,” arguing that the current system routes taxpayer dollars through these entities unnecessarily. In his view, part of the solution involves linking some federal assistance to individual healthcare savings accounts while implementing price transparency measures.
He suggested providers should be required to disclose upfront costs and predicted consumer choice would naturally drive prices down significantly across all services. The senator quoted economist Art Laffer’s projections about potential trillion-dollar savings from these reforms.
Marshall acknowledged millions of people enrolled in ACA plans don’t actually use their coverage, estimating approximately 8 million individuals are effectively inactive participants. He suggested this lack of engagement may contribute to inflated program costs and fraud concerns.
The senator believes one way to address affordability is through consumer contribution programs, ensuring individuals participate financially regardless of specific insurance arrangements or provider networks involved.
This approach represents a significant departure from existing healthcare policy frameworks focused primarily on institutional solutions rather than individual empowerment.
