Price: GOP healthcare bill will ‘absolutely’ bring premiums down

Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price on Sunday pushed back on comments from a Republican senator, saying the GOP healthcare bill will “absolutely” bring premiums down. 

“The plan in its entirety will absolutely bring premiums down,” Price told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Price pointed to increased marketplace competition and more insurance options for individuals.

{mosads}”Because you increase competition, you increase choices for individuals. You allow folks to be able to purchase the kind of coverage that they want — not that the government forces them to buy. Those are all the secret keys to a market that actually works for healthcare and works for patients. That’s the key,” Price continued. 

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) had slammed the Senate bill on Friday, saying it did not include anything to lower premiums.

“The biggest lie in healthcare in the last 10 years was if you like your doctor, you can keep it. Second biggest lie is that your premium going down. There isn’t anything in this legislation that will lower your premiums,” Heller said.

“The status quo is unsustainable, completely. We’ve got to act. Action is absolutely vital,” Price said on Sunday “We look forward to continuing to work with Senator Heller.”