The next is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Invoice Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 16, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to Face the Nation. On Friday, we spoke with the Chairman of one of many Senate committees chargeable for crafting well being care laws, Louisiana’s Invoice Cassidy, who can also be a health care provider. We started by displaying him what the President is considering of for a healthcare repair.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I am calling in the present day for insurance coverage corporations to not be paid, however for the cash, this huge sum of money to be paid on to the folks of our nation in order that they will purchase their very own well being care, which will probably be much better and much cheaper than the catastrophe referred to as Obamacare.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So are you, Senator, coordinating with the White Home on this proposal?
SEN. BILL CASSIDY: So we’re completely in communication with the White Home and with the administration, as a result of there’s a number of stuff that it’s important to work out to do this. However let me give a bit meat on the bones of what the President’s talking about. In case you take a look at an Obamacare coverage now, there is a $6,000 deductible. Democrats are preventing to decrease the premiums. You decrease a premium on one thing which has $6,000 deductible, it is mainly a catastrophic coverage. Now, I like to talk of the price of being insured, not simply the price of the medical health insurance. The President is proposing that we take the $26 billion that may be going to insurance coverage corporations if we simply do a straight out extension, and by the best way, 20 % of that $26 billion, 20 % will go for revenue and administrative overhead, give it on to the American folks in an account during which 100% of the cash is used for them to buy well being care on their very own phrases. Now- now, that makes them an knowledgeable shopper. It additionally helps tackle the necessity to have protection for that deductible, and in the event that they get that coverage with a better deductible, they will truly decrease their premium. It is a candy spot, decrease premiums, assist with the deductible, making the affected person the knowledgeable shopper, the President and I are united. We should always all be united about that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, the President’s financial adviser, Kevin Hassett, was on this program final Sunday. He mentioned the president was simply brainstorming, issues aren’t formally put collectively amongst Republican senators but, however I simply wish to make clear what you’re coordinating with the President on right here, as a result of, is it to purchase your personal insurance coverage coverage, which is sort of difficult, or is it to make use of this versatile spending account you’ve got talked about for associated well being care wants? Like, are there restrictions on how you should use that cash?
SEN. CASSIDY: So first, there’s two varieties of premium tax credit. There’s the baseline premium tax credit score, which was a part of Obamacare, that may keep in impact, and folks would nonetheless purchase a coverage. For instance, they get in a automotive wreck, one thing disastrous. They want any person negotiating on their behalf with all of the suppliers. That stays the identical. What we’re speaking in regards to the shutdown was over the improved premium tax credit. Insurance policies have develop into so costly below Obamacare that below Joe Biden, Democrats handed one other subsidy on high of the primary subsidy. That is what we’re preventing about and what Republicans are saying, and I wish to hope Democrats will too. Hey, wait a second, if we are able to have decrease premiums and assist folks with their deductible by giving the cash on to the affected person. By the best way, 20 % would not go for insurance coverage firm revenue and overhead. 100percent goes for well being care. Why do not we unite Republican and Democrats in doing that? That is the place the President is. You bought to determine some issues out. However we’re lots additional alongside than you may think.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So do you wish to repair Obamacare, or do you wish to remove Obamacare?
SEN. CASSIDY: First, it’s important to, like, we’re going into 2026. That is like a month and a half from now.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.
SEN. CASSIDY: And so you have to work with what you’ve. However alternatively, Obamacare was a high heavy, administratively heavy sort system during which some huge cash is some huge cash, and duty is taken from people and given to insurance coverage corporations. As one instance, I am a health care provider. I work for 20 years in a hospital for the uninsured. I discovered that for those who give the affected person the facility, good issues occur that is supported, by the best way, by the medical literature, if the affected person is engaged in her well being care and the well being care of her household. She’s going to be a sensible shopper, sensible for her well being and sensible for her pocketbook. We have to have a brand new mannequin, and that mannequin is to interact the affected person in her personal well being care. Doing so is sweet for her, good for us all.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, however you mentioned we have to work with what we have now. That’s, as you simply mentioned, you’ve a brief period of time earlier than the top of the yr. Do you suppose it’s worthwhile to prolong the well being care tax subsidies which can be presently in place till you determine all the remainder of this difficult coverage making?
SEN. CASSIDY: Let me again you up just a bit bit, Margaret. I will simply say, all people assumes it is easy simply to increase the premium tax credit, the improved premium tax credit. It isn’t that straightforward. 50 % of the states didn’t plan on them being prolonged, and so they do not have charges as in the event that they have been to be prolonged. So meaning if we cross this mid December, they have to recalculate charges in time for, wait a second, by that point, we’re already into 2026 it is not a straightforward matter. And by the best way, did I point out the insurance policies that individuals wish to decrease the premiums for have $6,000 deductibles. It’s mainly one thing for insurance coverage corporations to earn cash off of and for the person to wade by means of $6,000 of debt earlier than they will lastly entry it. Now, the sort of proposal I’m proposing Republicans are, and I hope Democrats will be a part of, is, let’s take that cash, and we have now a mechanism to take action. We give it to the affected person. By giving her that cash, she might select a bronze degree plan, which is to say decrease premiums. So now her premiums are down, however she has cash in an account to assist with the deductible, and I feel we are able to determine that out about as simply as we are able to determine what we might do if we simply did a straight out extension.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you wish to do all this, although, by the second week of December, when the Democrats have been promised they’re going to have a vote on an ACA invoice of their selection.
SEN. CASSIDY: Sure, and I inform my Democratic colleagues first, let’s not be Democrats and Republicans. Let’s be People, representing all of People. Let’s acknowledge what you are doing simply provides cash to insurance coverage corporations, however we are able to do it higher with decrease premiums and with cash and accounts to pay deductibles. After which why do not we come collectively? There is usually a Democratic invoice and a Republican invoice, and each fail. Let’s do an American invoice the place the American folks profit and this work collectively, collaborate to decrease these premiums and assist them with that first greenback protection in the- within the deductible.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So we seemed and there are about 293,000 Louisianans, your state, enrolled in Obamacare presently, six weeks from now, these extent expanded tax credit that you’ve got been speaking about will go away for people making $62,000 or above. People making lower than that quantity will see their tax credit score shrink. So are you telling these a whole bunch of hundreds of Louisianans that that tax credit score goes away it doesn’t matter what, that- that they need to make plans–
SEN. CASSIDY: No.
MARGARET BRENNAN: – for larger costs?
SEN. CASSIDY: I am telling them that we’re I am telling them that we’re working to make it work higher for them. And they’d inform you, by the best way, wait a second, I received a $6,000 deductible that doesn’t work for me. Margaret, I am a health care provider. I might discuss to folks after they’d come to see me, and they might inform me, I can not afford that. My deductible is just too excessive. That is actuality, and that actuality is being misplaced on this dialogue. We have got to do one thing about sky excessive deductibles. Possibly you may afford the premium. You’ll be able to’t afford the coverage. Let’s decrease the price of having medical health insurance, focusing by not simply on the premium, however the deductible. And I feel we are able to do each.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, even within the personal market, well being care prices have gone up up six to 9 % whenever you take a look at the projections. However I wish to ask you about your oversight function. Secretary Kennedy has this hand picked panel of vaccine advisors. You recognize them at ACIP. They’ll meet in just a few days and probably vote on altering the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants. That very same vaccine advisory group can also be contemplating the security of vaccine components like aluminum, which might affect various childhood pictures. This could matter for American mother and father. Are you comfy with what they’re about to place to a vote?
SEN. CASSIDY: I am very involved about this. Because it seems, my medical follow targeted on hepatitis B, and so we all know that due to a really helpful dose at beginning of hepatitis B vaccine, really helpful, not mandated, the variety of youngsters born contracting hepatitis B at beginning, or shortly thereafter, has decreased from about 20,000, 20 years in the past to love 200 now. That is 20- successfully a clerical error. We have now decreased incidence of continual hepatitis B by 20,000 folks during the last twenty years with this sort of suggestion. And by the best way, for those who’re contaminated at beginning, you are extra likely- you are 95 % prone to develop into a continual provider. The vaccine is secure. It has been established, and these components they’re talking of have been proven to be secure. That is coverage by individuals who do not perceive the epidemiology of hepatitis B, or who’ve grown comfy with the truth that we have been so profitable with our suggestion that now the incidence of hepatitis B is so low, they really feel like we are able to relaxation on our laurels. I am a health care provider. I’ve seen folks die from vaccine-preventable illness. I would like folks to be wholesome. I wish to make America wholesome, and you do not begin by stopping suggestions which have made us considerably more healthy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, the president of america additionally instructed American ladies to not take Tylenol. Or give it to their children. That is primarily based on a concept that it causes autism in some way. And he additionally in a social media put up, the identical one, referred to as for the measles, mumps and rubella shot to be damaged up into three completely different pictures. That was then endorsed by the appearing CDC director. Are you involved by this sort of suggestive linkage on the high of the CDC and from the White Home?
SEN. CASSIDY: Once more, I am a health care provider, and so I will go the place the proof takes me. And the most effective proof is a examine out of Sweden with 2 million youngsters that discovered no- no causality, no affiliation, if you’ll, between taking Tylenol in being pregnant and getting autism. And naturally, that issues me, as a result of there’s going to be a mother on the market —once more, I am a health care provider, I discuss to I discuss to sufferers— in a room, and her baby has autism. She took Tylenol for a excessive fever throughout being pregnant and now she blames herself. That is simply the best way mamas suppose, and that is incorrect. We do not need her to suppose that. The very best proof is that there is no such thing as a relationship, by the best way, when you’ve got a excessive fever throughout being pregnant, which may be a danger for autism. Now, in fact, for those who’re pregnant, discuss to your doctor earlier than you are taking something, however level being, the most effective proof is that there is no such thing as a relationship between the 2. And I do not need ladies placing themselves on a guilt journey when the most effective proof exhibits not. By the best way, the President has spoken out strongly in favor of immunizations in different circumstances, and I famous, when he received his bodily, he received the flu and COVID pictures. So the President has demonstrated that he believes in immunization.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However that is why clarifying the statements, I feel, is necessary, because you interpret them in another way. I’m wondering, do you remorse your affirmation vote for Secretary Kennedy?
SEN. CASSIDY: I smile as a result of each reporter asks me that–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, as a result of these questions run proper right into a pledge that you just extracted from him to not tinker with a few of the constructions that have been set in place to have oversight of those vaccines and this course of.
SEN. CASSIDY: So you reside life ahead, once more, you simply do, let the day’s personal troubles be adequate for the day. And I will credit score the secretary. He is introduced consideration to issues like ultra-processed meals that has, frankly, by no means obtained this kind of consideration earlier than, and folks reward him for that. So he and I’ve publicly disagreed on some issues, however I strongly agree with him on others, and so, in order that’s how I will reply your query.
if that is your ultimate yr in workplace, sir, will you make overhauling well being care your high precedence?
SEN. CASSIDY: Nicely, I certain hope it is not my ultimate yr in workplace, however, however I have been excited about healthcare for 30 years, as a result of once I labored in a public hospital for the uninsured, I noticed the burden it could possibly be on middle-income households who had center revenue however could not afford the insurance coverage or could not guarantee afford the healthcare. And so it has been my precedence for 30 years, and I’ll proceed to do this. And if there’s a silver lining, if there’s a silver lining within the shutdown, we simply had, the silver lining is now we’re targeted on how will we make well being care extra inexpensive for the American folks. That ought to be our objective, to not be partisan in some way. How will we make it extra inexpensive for fellow People? If we are able to accomplish that, I’ll really feel like I’ve finished my job.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, thanks to your time.
SEN. CASSIDY: Thanks Margaret.
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