Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 3962, Affordable Health Care For America Act, And Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 3961, Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, today we make history. After months of hard work, my colleagues and I can make good on our promise to deliver meaningful health care reform.

Like most Members of Congress, I held over 50 town halls, tele-town halls, roundtables, and ``Congress on Your Corners,'' and listened to my constituents about health care reform. Every town hall in America from Virginia to Vail and Northglenn to North Dakota shed light on our broken health care system. And many Members of this body heard the same thing: We need health care reform now and No government takeover of health care.

We took their concerns back with us to Washington. We echoed their voices in these Halls, and we created the bill we have before us today: a stronger bill, a better bill, a bill that avoids a government takeover of health care, a bill that costs less and reduces the budget deficit by $100 billion. A bill that we can be proud of.

We fought to protect Medicare, and we're giving our seniors a bill that immediately closes the Medicare part D doughnut hole and strengthens Medicare.

We heard stories from honest, hardworking Americans who were denied or lost coverage because of preexisting conditions when they needed it the most. Our bill ends that discriminatory process. The Republican bill, by their own admission, leaves more uninsured people in 10 years than we have today.

I personally took on the cause of small businesses, the economic engine of the American economy and job growth, many of which can't afford to provide coverage today. These businesses are the entrepreneurs and innovators on which the future of our economy depends.

I'm happy to say this new bill raises the threshold for the surcharge to a million dollars in income for most small businesses, significantly reducing any impact while giving small businesses access to the exchange which provides them the same buying power previously only enjoyed by large corporations. I remain hopeful that through the conference process, we can further reduce or eliminate the small business surcharge while preserving the savings for individuals and small businesses.

My constituents said to include tort reform and interstate competition, and their voices have been heard. And I'm proud to say this bill provides for insurance companies competing across State lines through interstate compacts and includes reforms to reduce defensive medicine.

This summer Americans in every district in this country spoke out about health care. We listened. We took their ideas to heart and brought them to Washington. This bill was written by patriots across our great Nation, and I urge my fellow Members to join me in proud support of this bill.

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