July 15, 2009
Washington, D.C. - Today, as the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed comprehensive health reform legislation that includes a public option, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement praising her colleagues and reinforcing the urgent need for the Senate to pass a bill that includes a public option:
"I want to commend my colleagues Chairman Edward M. Kennedy, Senator Chris Dodd, and all the Democrats on the HELP Committee for passing comprehensive health care reform legislation that includes a public option. They have shown the leadership necessary to seize the opportunity and make real progress to fix America's broken health care system.
"We can't afford to wait any longer to finish the job in the full Senate. More than 46 million Americans are uninsured. Health care costs are crippling businesses of all sizes and pushing families in every corner of America to the brink. It's time now to finally fix the broken health care system and pass comprehensive reform legislation.
"As I've said before, a not-for-profit, public plan option absolutely must be included in comprehensive health care reform. I will continue to push for a ‘Medicare for all' plan that anyone could buy into to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care regardless of income. In 2009, it is unconscionable that in the world's wealthiest nation, people are being dropped and turned away from coverage because of pre-existing conditions, and that families are just one illness away from bankruptcy.
"A public plan will compete with private insurers - improving quality, ensuring access in underserved areas, setting a standard for coverage and efficiency that private insurers would have to compete with, and lowering costs for everyone.
"The days of having nearly 50 million uninsured and another 25 million underinsured Americans must end. Our families and our economy can't afford us to wait any longer. A not-for-profit public plan that can cover anyone and lower costs for everyone is the only way to get the job done right."
6 comments:
amen!
Has anybody actually read this monstrosity of a bill. The bill not only says that we have the right to health insurance, but it also says that we all have the responsibility to carry health insurance. If someone decides not to have coverage, the federal government will fine them.
When I was a young single man in my early and mid twenties, the job I had did not include health insurance and I chose not to purchase any. During those years I never had the need to visit a doctor. This bill would now force young people like that to purchase health coverage or pay the fine. The obvious question is: Should young healthy individuals be forced to subsidize the health care of others?
Annonymous: You are one lucky dude. I worked for many years and alhough I was also a non doctor visitng person, my lucky charm must have deserted me and fell off in 1989. This was my first bout with cancer. Having retired from banking, I did not have the full coverage that would have kept my assets whole. Rather than rehash the entire past 20 years, I have been blessed to have survived cancer on three other occasions. My long and short story is that you and I have been lucky. The single word that I prefer not to use is the word HOWEVER, so you are correct in that it is monster bill. Probably not read or understood by those who will attempt to pass it and change our way of life. Hillary in 1995 almost destroyed much of our health programs by going down this muddy slope. But you have to realize that we have to establish some type of health care in the US. As to the distance and scope, that is an entirely diffent logistical and financial solution.
There has to be some type of long term program that will keep America healthy and strong. As to the answer-
I am not wise enough to solve this problem, but if it penalizes our business's than it is not an acceptable plan. Our citizens and business owners must have some mediation so that we can serve as much of the population without creating financial difficulties for the other half.
again- just my three cents worth
SZ
If anyone has any doubt that one of the goals of this legislation then be aware of the following.
'Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day' of the year the legislation becomes law."
I get very nervous when Congress and a President hastily put a plan together because they have a deadline to meet(a self imposed deadline)to keep a campaign promise. You need to have everybody at the table(Insurance Executives, Pharmacetical Companies, The Medical Community, Business Leaders, Accountants, Lawyers and Representatives of the People.)This should be a work in progress and not the Senators or Congressman's agenda to get votes or retain their power.Once you construct this new Health Care Delivery System it will be very hard to turn back if it fails to meet it's objective of coverage for everybody. I do agree that Americans need to have affordable coverage and that things in the health care system need to be revamped but I feel that you should start out small and build on a concept thru trial and error before obliterating what we have currently. The government should get the economy in better shape to even think of adding more debt on the backs of taxpayers with higher taxes to finance such a grandios plan.Let the stimulus package work its magic before going to the next item on the "to do" list.
We really need to think beyond ourselves on this one... And to some degree (I surely know it is tough!) we need to trust that experts on the matter [and I don't mean those that stand to profit from this proposed change or (contrarily) lose money!] are being consulted and taken seriously.
Our system is broken. And our health care system is most definitely broken! Why not at least let them "try" - hopefully with good scientific and fiscal studies on hand - to fix it?
Three sayings come to mind:
"If it works, don't fix it" (Null and void in this case) ---
"If nothing changes, nothing changes" (Have you read any of the health care stories (i.e. nightmare scenerios) spilling forth from the people of this nation?)
And...
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results" (Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!)
These are all common sayings, the original origins unknown to me, that I've heard bantered about in the self-help / psychology / social work community...
And although any change (especially major changes such as this) entails risk...
Take a good close look at where we stand NOW!
[An increase in unemployment - which is reputedly going to take another major hike come around September; a potential HINI (swine flu) emergency situation that might hit us this fall; a serious lack of employment opportunities - especially of positions that carry free or affordable health insurance options for their employees; an increase in homelessness, hunger and medical threats from other sources (global gifts bear global dangers...) from multiple sources, a reputed backwards tend and/or increase (amongst our nations youth) in terms of some serious STDs, HIV and teen pregnancies (these mothers and babies need health care - sometimes very expensive health care - from the get go!) [CDC Newsroom Press Release July
16, 2009; http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090716a.htm]...
And as the elephant, in one of the Dr. Suess books says...
"And so on and so on and so forth!"
I am admittedly, due to my own medical issues - primarily an "armchair quarterback"; but I'm still part of the "game" - I do my homework - and from where I sit, one thing this nation definitely can NOT afford is a "time out" and/or any attempt to keep the worst players (i.e., profiteers gone mad? People without a social conscience?) in charge of the "huddle."
Someone very close to me requires a shot (along with 14 other medications) that cost a minimum of $1,000 a month...
Sound hoaky????
A bit overpriced?????
Could YOU pay that fee?????
Think about it.
What might your next medical emergency (or mine) cost?
Might it lead you to bankruptcy?
Might it lead you to lose your home?
Might you wish - then ("hindsight being 20-20"?) that you grabbed this opportunity - now - when it is (or in the given scenerio, was...) available?
NS
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