Affordable Health Care For America Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I support the Affordable Health Care for America Act both because of the extraordinary step forward it brings the nation and my district, the District of Columbia. First, I took steps to assure that the Affordable Health Care for America Act we expect to pass tonight would treat the District equally with the 50 states (although it does not do so for the territories). Consequently, the bill will provide coverage for 14,000 uninsured D.C. residents and affordable credits to help up to 134,000 D.C. families pay for coverage; will improve employer-based coverage for 363,000 District residents; will improve Medicare for 75,000 D.C. seniors, including closing the prescription drug donut hole for 3,300 seniors, as well as providing free preventative care and wellness check-ups for all seniors; will allow 22,200 D.C. small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage; and will save about 400 District families from bankruptcy resulting from unaffordable health costs. The bill also will reduce the cost of uncompensated care by $126 million for the District's besieged hospitals and health care providers.

I am proud of the remarkable advances made by our bill, even though it does not meet all that I pressed to achieve. The Congress, of course, is not known for perfect bills, but the extraordinary diversity of our Democratic Caucus--from right to left--has assured that this bill represents a cross-section of the American public--urban, suburban, and rural. The incredible diversity of the Democratic Caucus, representing Republican, right-leaning, moderate, and progressive areas, meant that we could go to the floor only with a bill that sensitively put all of America together into one convincing bill. That is why we have produced a bill that satisfies deficit hawks, more wary of increasing deficits than of most other issues as well as single-payer advocates, who believe that only Medicare for all can sufficiently reduce costs while providing adequate health care to the middle class and the uninsured. Thus, there can be no doubt that the Affordable Health Care for America Act is a balanced bill.

The bill's greatest achievements are that it will reduce the deficit over the next 10 years and into the future while covering 96 percent of the American people; will end discrimination by insurers who dropped or refused to renew or sell coverage because of health status; and will ensure that coverage is affordable by providing subsidies for people in employer-based health care or through the insurance exchange of private insurers as well as a consumer option to drive down the cost of health care while operating on a level playing field with other insurers.

I particularly support this bill because it will take off the burden that the District of Columbia heroically took on, beginning with the Williams administration, to offer health care to the uninsured, without any assistance from the federal government, rather than subject them, as well as the District, to costly emergency room care, the most expensive available. The District's Health Care Alliance, which provides insurance to more than 50,000 residents lacking health insurance, who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, is collapsing under the weight of increasing requests from individuals without insurance. The city had to cut its Health Alliance budget this year to 46,000 individuals, although a year ago 48,000 individuals had registered and 55,000 were expected to register in the 2010 fiscal year.

At my ``Fact Check Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform,'' which observers said was notable for its civility and the diversity of residents attending, it was apparent that District residents strongly support the approach taken by today's bill. By September, my office had received 2,000 contacts on health care reform, almost all supporting the reform efforts underway in the House, with only nine residents expressing opposition to any reform. Also, 276 District residents had written in opposition to parts of the proposed bill, and 220 of them opposed the public plan. Most who opposed the public plan, appeared to believe that such a plan would affect their employer-based plans, which this bill ensures cannot happen.

I believe that this bill is strong and compelling enough to offer stiff resilience to those who have been unwilling to take on the special interests and who may now believe their best hope is in the other body. Tonight, this bill provides the best hope for the health care of our nation's longsuffering people.

Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, like many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I believe the status quo of our nation's health care is unacceptable. We need real reform in this country that will lower costs and keep health care decisions in the hands of patients and their doctors.

This bill would establish a new government run bureaucracy and a public-plan that will drastically expand the role of government into personal health care, at a massive cost of more than $1 trillion. And it's important to note, that like nearly every other entitlement program, the costs from this bill will only skyrocket.

The bill raises taxes on small businesses, individuals and medical devices like pacemakers and stents. Indeed, this bill would impose $729.5 billion in higher taxes. $135 billion in taxes will be levied on business. $20 billion in taxes will be levied on medical device manufacturers. Using President Obama's economic measuring stick, as many as 5.5 million jobs could be lost from the taxes in this bill.

We all heard over and over again that, ``those of you who like your health care plan can keep it.'' What is not mentioned is that every plan will need to meet government requirements for a government seal of approval. This plan cuts $500 billion in Medicare benefits to seniors, including over $170 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage--a plan that is used by more than 19,000 seniors in my district. These seniors will no longer get the same care and coverage that they need.

Mr. Speaker, in the bill before us there is no provision in this bill to allow small businesses to pool together, no protection for those who want keep the coverage they have, and no medical liability reform.

The health care plan I support lowers health care premiums for all Americans, guarantees affordable coverage for patients with preexisting conditions, protects seniors, Medicare benefits, includes no tax increases, enacts real medical liability reform, empowers the doctor-patient relationship, and reduces the budget deficit.

I also want to point out that I offered five amendments to the healthcare bill, but none were made in order. The first amendment would have removed the onerous medical device tax from the bill and replaced it with unobligated stimulus funding. It makes no sense to me that this bill taxes innovation and our job creators and takes away funding for life saving technology.

I had another amendment that would have required a study of the harmful effects the innovation tax would have on the medical technology industry. Americans should know the implications of the negative effects on life saving technologies in this nearly 2,000 page bill.

Yet another amendment I offered would have removed the seasonal and temporary workers from the employer mandate. This amendment would have helped to lessen the heavy burden this legislation imposes on small businesses.

In addition, I offered an amendment that would have improved and expanded health savings accounts. This would have helped make health care more affordable for the millions of people covered by high deductible health plans.

Finally, I offered an amendment to clarify that nothing in this bill would have infringed on the healthcare that was promised to our nation's veterans. Unfortunately, this health care bill makes massive changes and our nation's veterans are owed the assurance that they will have adequate care.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by saying that I oppose this bill because it puts the government in between the decisions of a patient and their doctor. This is simply unacceptable. Patients should have the right to make their own choices regarding the medical care they need without government interference. Whether it is taking care of your children, parents or grandparents, there is no issue that is more personal to a family than health care. No special interest group, Member of Congress or federal bureaucrat should stand between a patient and their doctor.

Americans continue to lose jobs and faith in their American government each day. This bill is not only the wrong direction for our economy but also the wrong direction for America.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, after months of studying the various proposals, listening to feedback from my constituents on both sides of the issue in town hall meetings, informal discussions, letters, e-mails and faxes, and after prayerful reflection, I concluded that I must support the health care reform legislation. I believe it would improve the lives of my constituents by ensuring that they have access to quality, affordable health care. H.R. 3962, while not perfect, makes substantial progress in this regard.

During my town hall meetings on health insurance reform last August, I said that we have a moral obligation to ensure that all Americans receive the health care they need to live healthy and productive lives. I have long been concerned about the poor health indicators among my constituents, and this evening I cast a vote that I believe will have a significant impact on improving the lives of Southwest Georgians now and into the future.

Georgia ranks third in obesity rates for children age 10-17; sixth in the number of tuberculosis cases; seventh in number of low birthweight babies; ninth in diabetes rates for adults; tenth in the number of uninsured; eleventh in hypertension rates; eleventh in the number of new cancer cases; and fourteenth in obesity rates for adults. These numbers are unacceptable.

H.R. 3962, when signed into law, will immediately bring about reforms that will benefit the citizens of Georgia's Second Congressional District and all Americans. The bill will immediately begin to close the donut hole in the Medicare part D prescription drug coverage for seniors. It will outlaw denial of coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, limit premium discrimination based on gender and age, and prevent insurance companies from dropping coverage when people develop serious illnesses and need it the most.

In addition, the bill increases funding for community health centers and other primary care providers, doubling the number of patients seen over five years. It will extend coverage for young people to stay on their parents' insurance plans up to their 27th birthday. It will extend COBRA health insurance coverage for displaced workers. Furthermore, it will hinder price-gouging by requiring that insurance companies disclose rate increases.

By 2013, when the mandate for coverage and the Exchange are in place, additional provisions will take effect including no more co-pays for routine checkups and preventive care, yearly caps on individuals' out-of-pocket expenses and no lifetime caps on what insurance companies will cover.

In addition to the benefits for Southwest Georgia, the bill will reduce the federal budget deficit by $104 billion over the next decade. It will allow states to form compacts that will enable consumers to buy policies from insurers across state lines.

With regards to small businesses, the health care legislation will provide tax credits to nearly 14,000 small businesses in the Second Congressional District who offer their employees coverage and exempts 86 percent of small businesses (those with payrolls of less than $500,000) from having to provide coverage, and continues the business deduction for those who do.

Finally, the House health care bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions. It also requires verification of citizenship or lawful presence for undocumented immigrants to receive coverage.

I look forward to further improvements as the bill is considered by the Senate and the Conference Committee, where differences between the House and Senate bills will be resolved. But this evening's vote is a significant step towards affordable, quality health care for all.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for the extraordinary work that he and others have done on this bill.

The extraordinary diversity of our Democratic Caucus, Mr. Speaker, from right to left, has ensured that this bill represents a cross-section of our country, urban, suburban and rural. The incredible diversity of our Democratic Caucus, representing Republicans, right-leaning, moderate, and progressive areas meant that we could not come to this floor today without a bill that sensitively put all of America together into one convincing bill. That is why we have produced a bill that satisfies deficit hawks who are more wary of increasing deficits than of most other issues, as well as single-payer advocates who believe that only Medicare for all can markedly reduce costs while providing adequate health care for the middle class and the uninsured.

Thus, there can be no doubt this evening that the Affordable Health Care for America Act is a balanced bill and the best bill for the citizens of the United States of America.

* [Begin Insert]

The extraordinary diversity of our Democratic Caucus--from right to left has ensured that this bill represents a cross-section of the our country--urban, suburban, and rural. The incredible diversity of our Democratic Caucus, representing Republican, right-leaning, moderate, and progressive areas, meant that we could come to this floor today only with a bill that sensitively put all of America together into one convincing bill. That is why we have produced a bill that satisfies deficit hawks, who are more wary of increasing deficits than of most other issues, as well as single-payer advocates, who believe that only Medicare for all can markedly reduce costs while providing adequate health care to the middle class and the uninsured. Thus, there can be no doubt that the Affordable Health Care for America Act is the best bill for the citizens of the United States of America.

The bill's greatest achievements are that it would reduce the deficit over the next 10 years and into the future while covering 96 percent of the American people; would end discrimination by insurers who dropped or refused to renew or sell coverage because of health status and would ensure that coverage is affordable by providing subsidies for people in employer-based health care or through an insurance exchange of private insurers and a consumer option to drive down the cost of health care while operating on a level playing field with other insurers.

* [End Insert]

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source