Capitol Commentary Health Care Affordability (copy) U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith Mar 16, 2026 Mar 16, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save One agenda item for Republicans in 2026 is to make life more affordable.kAm(6 C64@8?:K6 E92E 9:89 AC:46D @? 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 8C@46C:6D E@ 82D >2<6 :E 92C56C E@ AFC492D6 2 9@>6[ C2:D6 2 72>:=J 2?5 D6?5 J@FC <:5D E@ D49@@=]k^AmkAm%96D6 C:D6D :? E96 4@DED @7 =:G:?8 H6C6 7F6=65 :? =2C86 A2CE 3J E96 9:89 =6G6=D @7 :?7=2E:@? H6 D2H 5FC:?8 E96 q:56?\w2CC:D J62CD]k^AmkAm&?56C !C6D:56?E q:56?[ :?7=2E:@? H2D C2>A2?E[ 2E @?6 A@:?E 9:EE:?8 h]`T] %9:D H2D E96 9:896DE :?7=2E:@? C2E6 D:?46 E96 !C6D:56?E r2CE6C J62CD]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^u24Er964<]@C8Qmu24Er964<]@C8k^2m[ 4@?DF>6C AC:46D C@D6 a`]dT[ 82D@=:?6 C@D6 b`T 2?5 9@>6 AC:46D C@D6 bf]cT F?56C q:56?\w2CC:D]k^Am People are also reading… Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition Royal Oak DAR names 3 high school seniors as Good Citizens Chilhowie switches to biodegradable bags for yard waste Spanberger signs bills on probation, manufactured protein and Confederate license plates Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident Virginia football QB Chandler Morris denied preliminary injunction in pursuit of 7th year $1M goal for Smyth County HealthTrust scholarship fund is near Trump issues an expletive-filled threat against Iran as details of US aviator's rescue emerge Smyth supervisors say collective bargaining bills could cost county millions Along the Yellow Brick Road US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire as Trump seizes diplomatic offramp Former UVa football player accused of rape says complainant's own words ruin her case Virginia Tech softball's Bre Warren goes to court in pursuit of playing this season kAm|62?H9:=6[ AC:G2E6 D64E@C 8C@HE9 E@@< 2 9:E 2D C62= H286D 25;FDE65 7@C :?7=2E:@? 76==]k^AmkAmpD 2 C6DF=E[ 2?5 E@ E96 7CFDEC2E:@? @7 >2?J[ p>6C:42?D 2C6 A2J:?8 >@C6 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8]k^AmkAmv:G6? E96 q:56?\w2CC:D 64@?@>:4 D6E324<D[ !C6D:56?E %CF>A 2?5 #6AF3=:42?D :? r@?8C6DD 2C6 H@C<:?8 E@ C6G6CD6 E96D6 q:56?\w2CC:D :?7=2E:@?2CJ AC6DDFC6D[ E2>6 E96 4@DE\@7\=:G:?8 4C:D:D 2?5 AC@G:56 >@C6 277@C523:=:EJ 7@C p>6C:42?D]k^Am kAm~?6 2C62 @7 >J 7@4FD 2D w62=E9 $F34@>>:EE66 r92:C>2? :D E@ =@H6C E96 4@DED @7 962=E9 42C6]k^Am kAm%96C6 2C6 >2?J C@@E 42FD6D E@ E96 :?4C62D6D :? 962=E9 42C6 4@DED] $@>6 EC246 324< E@ 367@C6 q:56?\w2CC:D]k^Am kAm~?6 C62D@? A2E:6?ED D66 C:D6D :? 962=E9 42C6 4@DED[ H9:49 2C6 @FEA24:?8 :?7=2E:@?[ :D 5F6 E@ !C6D:56?E ~32>2’D D:8?2EFC6 962=E9 42C6 A@=:4J[ E96 p77@C523=6 r2C6 p4E WprpX[ 2=D@ <?@H? 2D ~32>242C6]k^AmkAm~32>2 A=65865 2E E96 E:>6[ Qx H:== D:8? 2 F?:G6CD2= 962=E9 42C6 3:== :?E@ =2H 3J E96 6?5 @7 >J 7:CDE E6C> 2D AC6D:56?E E92E H:== 4@G6C 6G6CJ p>6C:42? 2?5 4FE E96 4@DE @7 2 EJA:42= 72>:=JVD AC6>:F> 3J FA E@ Sa[d__ 2 J62C]Qk^Am kAm!@=:E:u24E 7@F?5 E9:D E@ 36 2 3C@<6? 42>A2:8? AC@>:D6]k^AmkAmx? 724E[ 2D J@F 2== <?@H[ :?DFC2?46 C2E6D 92G6 4@?E:?F65 E@ 4=:>3 2?5 @FEA246 86?6C2= :?7=2E:@? 2D >62DFC65 3J E96 4@?DF>6C AC:46 :?56I]k^Am kAmuFCE96C[ ~32>242C6 DAFCC65 4@?D@=:52E:@? :? E96 962=E9 42C6 >2C<6EA=246[ 8FEE:?8 4@>A6E:E:@?]k^AmkAmx? 2 C646?E w62=E9 $F34@>>:EE66 962C:?8 H:E9 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?J =6256CD[ x 56E2:=65 E96 :>A24ED @7 5H:?5=:?8 4@>A6E:E:@? 2?5 =@H EC2?DA2C6?4J @? A2E:6?ED :? ':C8:?:2’D }:?E9 s:DEC:4E]k^Am kAm(96? :E 4@>6D E@ E96 p77@C523=6 r2C6 p4E WprpX >2C<6EA=246[ 2 a_`f DEF5J 3J E96 z2:D6C u2>:=J u@F?52E:@? C6A@CE65 @? &]$] 4@>>F?:E:6D 2E C:D< @7 92G:?8 ?@ :?DFC6CD @? E96 >2C<6EA=246] ':C8:?:2 925 E96 >@DE ?F>36C @7 4@F?E:6D 2E C:D<P u@CEF?2E6=J[ 2E E9:D E:>6[ 6G6CJ ':C8:?:2 }:?E9 s:DEC:4E =@42=:EJ 5@6D 92G6 2E =62DE @?6 AC@G:56C]k^Am kAm%9:D :D 7FCE96C AC@@7 E92E ~32>242C6 prp A=2?D 92G6 H62<6?65 4@>A6E:E:@?[ E96C63J 72:=:?8 E@ 56=:G6C E96 =@H6C 962=E9 42C6 4@DED E92E H6C6 AC@>:D65 E@ p>6C:42? A2E:6?ED H96? ~32>242C6 H2D D:8?65 :?E@ =2H :? a_`_]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 E96 962C:?8[ x >256 E96 42D6 E92E H6 ?665 E@ DEC:G6 E@ 92G6 >@C6 4@>A6E:E:G6 :?DFC2?46 A=2? @AE:@?D E92E C6H2C5 BF2=:EJ 2?5 7@4FD @? 277@C523:=:EJ[ 2446DD 2?5 @FE4@>6D]k^AmkAmp55:E:@?2==J[ E96 3:8 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D @H? 2 =2C86 D92C6 @7 E96 962=E9 42C6 >2C<6EA=246] x? 724E[ E96:C ?6EH@C<D 6:E96C @H? @C 6I6CE 4@?EC@= @G6C A92C>24:6D 2?5 !92C>24J q6?67:E |2?286CD W!q|DX]k^AmkAm(:E9 DF49 2 =2C86 D92C6 @7 E96 >2C<6EA=246[ E96D6 3:8 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D H:6=5 6?@F89 A@H6C E@ :?7=F6?46 E96 4@DE @7 962=E9 42C6[ C2:D:?8 J@FC 4@DED]k^Am kAmx? 2 D6A2C2E6 962C:?8[ >J $F34@>>:EE66 3C@F89E :? !q|D 2?5 @E96CD :?G@=G65 :? E96 AC6D4C:AE:@? 5CF8 DFAA=J 492:?]k^AmkAm%96 AC652E@CJ AC24E:46D @7 D@>6 !q|D 2AA62C E@ 36 A2CE:2==J C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E96 :?4C62D6D :? AC6D4C:AE:@? 5CF8 4@DED]k^AmkAm$@>6 @7 E96D6 !q| 3692G:@CD 9@A67F==J H:== 36 C6:?65 :? E92?<D E@ C646?E=J A2DD65 =68:D=2E:@? 2?5 2 D6EE=6>6?E 36EH66? E96 u656C2= %C256 r@>>:DD:@? 2?5 2 >2;@C !q|] %96D6 56G6=@A>6?ED H:== 6?4@FC286 8C62E6C EC2?DA2C6?4J H:E9 E96 9@A6D @7 =@H6C:?8 4@DED]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 E96 5CF8 DFAA=J 962C:?8[ @?6 @7 E96 :DDF6D x C2:D65 H2D E92E E96 E9C66 =2C86DE !q|D 4@?EC@= C@F89=J g_T @7 E96 A92C>246FE:42= >2C<6EA=246P p== E9C66 2C6 @H?65 3J :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D]k^Am kAm%9:D 2?E:\4@>A6E:E:G6 DECF4EFC6 =:>:ED E96 23:=:EJ @7 A92C>246FE:42= >2?F724EFC6CD 2?5 A92C>24:6D E@ 56=:G6C >@C6 277@C523=6 5CF8D E@ A2E:6?ED]k^AmkAm%96C6 2=D@ D66>65 E@ 36 28C66>6?E 24C@DD :?5FDEC:6D 2?5 A@=:E:42= A2CEJ =:?6D E92E >@C6 4@>A6E:E:@? 2?5 >@C6 49@:46D 96=AD :>AC@G6 962=E9 42C6 277@C523:=:EJ[ 2?5 2 4@?D@=:52E:@? @7 E96 >2C<6EA=246 5@6D ;FDE E96 @AA@D:E6Pk^Am kAmpD x =625 E96 w62=E9 $F34@>>:EE66 7@CH2C5 E@ 255C6DD 962=E9 42C6 277@C523:=:EJ[ x H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 25G@42E6 7@C >@C6 4@>A6E:E:@? 2?5 >@C6 EC2?DA2C6?4J :? p>6C:42? 962=E9 42C6]k^AmkAmx 36=:6G6 E96D6 C67@C>D H:== 7:I D@>6 @7 E96 72:=FC6D :? @FC 962=E9 42C6 DJDE6> 2?5 F=E:>2E6=J =@H6C 962=E9 42C6 4@DED]k^Am kAm%@ >2<6 =:76 >@C6 277@C523=6 7@C p>6C:42? A2E:6?ED[ 492?86 E@ E96 962=E9 42C6 DE2EFD BF@ :D ?66565] x 2> 7:89E:?8 :? r@?8C6DD E@ >2<6 E96D6 492?86D A@DD:3=6]k^Am kAmx7 J@F 92G6 BF6DE:@?D[ 4@?46C?D[ @C 4@>>6?ED[ 766= 7C66 E@ 4@?E24E >J @77:46] *@F 42? 42== >J p3:?85@? @77:46 2E afe\dad\`c_d @C >J r9C:DE:2?D3FC8 @77:46 2E dc_\bg`\def`] %@ C6249 >J @77:46 G:2 6>2:=[ A=62D6 G:D:E >J H63D:E6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>@C82?8C:77:E9]9@FD6]8@G^Qm9EEADi^^>@C82?8C:77:E9]9@FD6]8@G^k^2m]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now The developer of a truck stop planned for a site at Interstate 81’s Exit 39 expects that ground will be broken later this year. New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward The criminal case against Robert Nolan Wolfe, 50, of Marion, is continuing to make its way through the court system. Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition These 250 years later, the signers of this country’s Declaration of Independence would likely be proud of multiple Smyth County students, who … Royal Oak DAR names 3 high school seniors as Good Citizens Three Smyth County seniors who are already working for the community’s wellbeing and are achieving academically and athletically were recogniz… Chilhowie switches to biodegradable bags for yard waste A new environmentally friendly way to dispose of grass clippings and fallen leaves is now available for Chilhowie residents.
Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now The developer of a truck stop planned for a site at Interstate 81’s Exit 39 expects that ground will be broken later this year.
New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward The criminal case against Robert Nolan Wolfe, 50, of Marion, is continuing to make its way through the court system.
Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition These 250 years later, the signers of this country’s Declaration of Independence would likely be proud of multiple Smyth County students, who …
Royal Oak DAR names 3 high school seniors as Good Citizens Three Smyth County seniors who are already working for the community’s wellbeing and are achieving academically and athletically were recogniz…
Chilhowie switches to biodegradable bags for yard waste A new environmentally friendly way to dispose of grass clippings and fallen leaves is now available for Chilhowie residents.