Congressman Patrick McHenry is serving his ninth term as the representative for North Carolina's 10th Congressional District which comprises all or parts of eight counties in North Carolina, from the suburbs of Charlotte on Lake Norman to the Piedmont Triad region on the Virginia border.
In the 116th Congress, Congressman McHenry was elected as the Republican Leader of the House Financial Services Committee, a committee he has served on since he was elected to Congress. In the 117th Congress, he continues to serve as Republican Leader advocating for innovative solutions that increase access to banking services and credit for American families and small businesses.
Prior to serving as the Republican Leader, Congressman McHenry served as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a position he was appointed to at the beginning of the 114th Congress by then Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05).
Congressman McHenry believes that every American should have access to quality and affordable healthcare. However, a government-rationed healthcare system is not the answer. Healthcare decisions should be made by patients and their doctors, not government bureaucrats. Government set price controls are dangerous, as it threatens innovation and harms patients’ ability to access medicine and the health care of their choice. Congressman McHenry believes in reforms that make health care more affordable, accessible, portable, and personal for all Americans.
Congressman McHenry supports the establishment of Association Health Plans, which would allow small businesses that could not otherwise afford health insurance to band together and purchase insurance as a group so that more working Americans have access to health insurance. This would make healthcare coverage more affordable and accessible for workers
Congressman McHenry also believes that all Americans should have access to tax favored health plans, such as Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs). An HSA is a tax-exempt savings account designed to cover qualified medical expenses. However, only those with a high deductible health plan are currently eligible to participate. Congressman McHenry believes that all Americans should have access to the benefits of these types of plans, giving access to preventative and health care services that they may not otherwise be able to afford.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman McHenry supported workers serving on the front lines. He voted for the CARES Act, which among many other things, established the Provider Relief Fund. Through this program, the Department of Health and Human Services will distribute $175 billion to hospitals and health care providers for health-care related expenses or losses due to the pandemic. This includes almost $900 million already allocated to North Carolina providers.
Lawsuit abuse is putting many doctors out of business and increasing the cost of healthcare for everyone. Some counties in the mountains of North Carolina now have no doctors practicing obstetrics because they cannot afford insurance premiums. Lawsuit abuse needs to be reformed, including capping jackpot jury awards on non-economic damages and limiting what trial lawyers take from injured patients.