Healthcare: Senator Murray Warns that S.1955 Will Hurt Patients, Small Businesses; Calls for Real Solutions

Healthcare: Senator Murray Warns that S.1955 Will Hurt Patients, Small Businesses; Calls for Real Solutions
Murray Calls on Senate to Extend the Medicare Drug Deadline, Lift the Ban on Stem Cell Research and Invest in Community Healthcare

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

(Washington D.C.) -- U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash) today spoke out against the Republican sponsored "Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act" (S. 1955) on the floor of the United States Senate.

Murray said the bill, which is opposed by 41 state Attorneys General, the Washington State Medical Association and Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire, will eliminate critical patient protections, encourage insurance companies to charge higher premiums for some consumers, and will fail to reduce healthcare costs.

Murray said that the Senate should not be wasting time on a flawed proposal but should address real solutions like extending the May 15th deadline for the Medicare Part D drug program, passing legislation to lift the ban on stem cell research, and investing in community healthcare efforts.

"Simply put, this proposal is a distraction," said Senator Murray. "Instead of dealing with real solutions to real problems, the Republican leadership is wasting time on one narrow proposal that will make things worse. We can do better, and the truth is that patients, seniors, doctors, nurses and our communities all deserve better."

Senator Murray supports allowing businesses to pool the risk of insuring employees in order to reduce healthcare costs. However, the Republican proposal eliminates critical protections that help keep patients healthy and keep costs down.

In her floor speech, Murray cited a new report by Families USA which found that if S.1955 passes more than 1,861,000 Washington state residents could lose access to emergency services, home healthcare, drug and alcohol treatment, contraceptives, diabetic supplies and education, hospice Care, mammography screening, maternity services, mental healthcare, and many other services.

"I'm not going to tell nearly 2 million people I represent that we're going to take a gamble and risk losing those hard-won protections for a plan that will likely raise the cost of healthcare for many families and small businesses," Murray said.

Murray also said S.1955 would result in higher insurance premiums for some patients. Insurers would be allowed to charge patients different rates based on their health, age, gender, or geography.

"Rates will likely become unaffordable for those who need it the most, potentially increasing the number of uninsured Americans," Murray said.

Senator Murray also shared with the Senate letters she has received from both Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and the 9,000 member Washington Medical Association. Both letters detailed how S. 1955 would negatively affect gains Washington state has made in health care quality, and would drive up the cost of health care to the consumer.

Murray noted that she does support efforts to pool health insurance risk to reduce costs while still protecting patients.

"We can help spread the risk in ways that will lower costs and still protect patients, but the legislation before us could raise costs for consumers and small businesses. We can do better," Murray said.

Murray said that the Senate should be spending its time on measures that would actually help families and businesses improve healthcare and lower costs. She pointed to three challenges - the looming May 15th Medicare deadline, the Senate's failure to pass legislation allowing stem cell research, and recent cuts to community healthcare.

Medicare Deadline

Speaking to the looming May 15th deadline that faces our nation's seniors, Senator Murray said:

"I've been traveling throughout my home state of Washington meeting with seniors and holding roundtables with patients, pharmacists, and advocates. If we were serious about improving healthcare, we'd be fixing the problems they've outlined. Instead, we're going to let an unfair deadline hurt seniors even further. In six days, they will have to pick a plan or face higher penalties whenever they do enroll. And the penalties grow the longer they wait. To me, that's just not fair."

Stem Cell Research

Murray said the Senate should lift restrictions on promising research. The House passed legislation a year ago, but the Senate has not acted.

"Every delay means missed opportunities for patients with devastating diseases. If the Senate is serious about advancing healthcare and saving lives, we should be voting on stem cell legislation today."

Community Healthcare

Senator Murray also said that if the Senate Leadership were serious about improving healthcare, they would work to expand community healthcare efforts. Murray cited the Healthy Community Access Program (HCAP), which the Bush Administration eliminated last year, as an example of misplaced priorities.

"If we were serious about improving healthcare, we'd be investing in local programs that make a difference, but instead the Republican leadership is focused on distractions. We can do better," Murray said.

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http://murray.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=255359