Gov. Wolf outlines ways to address healthcare costs in letter to senate committee chair

Gov. Tom Wolf sent a letter Tuesday to Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, in response to the senator’s request for suggestions to address rising healthcare and health insurance costs.

In the letter, Wolf outlined several recommendations for reducing the underlying costs of health care delivery.

“We must be bolder to address the rising cost of health care and it is imperative that Congress work towards commonsense solutions,” Wolf said. “First, we must tackle the underlying costs of health care delivery to allow for more affordable health care coverage, and second, we must work to ensure patients can reply on predictable health care costs and avoid unexpected costs when possible.”

Wolf’s suggestions included providing comprehensive, whole-person coverage currently included in the Affordable Care Act, increasing transparency and moving toward value-based payments.

“We share the vital goals of providing quality, affordable health insurance coverage while stemming the unsustainable growth of health care costs,” Wolf said. “I hope that you find my feedback to be constructive in this regard. States play a critical role in ensuring consumers have access to health insurance and security in knowing they will be protected from catastrophic health care costs, but we can’t do it alone.”