An Oregon Perspective: Developing Real Health Care Reform

Statement

By Senator Jeff Merkley June 8, 2009

Our nation faces a number of daunting challenges: high unemployment, skyrocketing foreclosures, and a credit freeze which is crippling businesses. Each of them is contributing to another long-simmering crisis: the unavailability and unaffordability of health care. Forty-seven million Americans do not have health insurance and millions more are under-insured. Seniors have to pick and choose which medicines they can afford and people skip needed medical visits because they can't afford the payments. Folks who have health insurance are afraid of losing it and people without insurance are afraid of getting sick. We need a better way.

Over the last several months I've been working nonstop with my colleagues on the Senate Health Committee to develop legislation that will provide affordable, quality health care for every American.

The plan we are working on will expand access to health care, bring down costs and invest in prevention, while ensuring seniors and the disabled are not left behind.

First, I firmly believe that Americans should have a choice of either keeping their existing coverage or choosing a public option that would provide affordable health care coverage. A public option must be included in plans for reform because it will reduce costs, encourage competition and keep insurance companies honest.

Second, we need to spend our health care dollars more wisely. America spends more than any other industrialized nation on health care, but those dollars are not translating into better outcomes for patients. One sure way to reduce costs for families, businesses, and government is to invest in prevention. By making sure that every American has access to preventive care, we can catch diseases early and prevent financial hardship. We also need to invest in disease management, affordable prescription drugs, and wellness strategies like exercise and healthy school lunches.

Finally, one of my biggest concerns is that we look out for seniors and disabled Americans. Long-term care has become prohibitively expensive for many folks and I've spoken to Oregonians all over the state who are struggling to cover sky-high costs for their family members. Americans should not have to worry about their parent or grandparent receiving the quality care they deserve as they get older.

Doing nothing is not an option. We must seize this extraordinary opportunity to pass real health care reform and help improve the health of our citizens by investing in prevention. President Obama has made health care reform a priority and I'm confident that we can work together to provide coverage for all Americans.

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