Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

SERVICE MEMBERS HOME OWNERSHIP TAX ACT OF 2009 -- (Senate - December 07, 2009)

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Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, for the past several months, my office has responded to thousands of letters and phone calls about health care. I have traveled all across New Hampshire talking to small business owners and families who are desperate for help. I have talked to health care providers that are frustrated with the current system. The underlying message is very clear: Health care reform cannot wait any longer.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to offer amendments that would take this bill off the floor of the Senate, arguing we need to go back to the beginning and start all over or, worse, do nothing at all. But, Mr. President, you and I both know we need to act and we need to act as soon as possible. We need to continue to move forward. We need to move forward on behalf of thousands in New Hampshire and millions across this country who need health care reform.

I have listened to these families, these individuals, and I want to take a few minutes this afternoon to share two of their stories.

Judith Pietroniro from Francestown, NH, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 after her doctor found a lump during a routine mammogram. After undergoing multiple surgeries and radiation treatment, I am very pleased to report that Judith is now in her fourth year of being cancer free. However, at a time in her life when she should be celebrating her good health, Judith is facing a new challenge--finding affordable health insurance--because, you see, when Judith was in treatment, she was fortunate to be covered on her husbands's insurance plan. They paid $82 a week for a family plan. Unfortunately, her husband lost his job last year. But the family has been able to take advantage of COBRA. However, when her COBRA option runs out, which is going to be at the end of this year, she will be unable to buy an insurance plan from her current carrier. That is because breast cancer is considered a preexisting condition until the patient is cancer free for 5 years under her plan. But the rub is, once she is cancer free for 5 years and able to qualify for insurance under her current plan, she will face a monthly premium of over $2,000 for a plan that has a huge deductible. Health care for Judith will simply be out of reach.

Now, Mr. President, you and I both know cancer does not discriminate. This could happen to any of us.

I also recently heard from Colleen Conners, a woman who lives in my hometown of Madbury, NH. Like so many others, she has struggled with our ailing health care system. She was born with a hip condition, and she has suffered from several other medical problems, including lupus and scoliosis. As a result, she has also been denied coverage because of her preexisting conditions.

I heard my colleague from Oklahoma talking about the people who he said were being denied care in other health care systems. But let me read what Colleen, my neighbor in Madbury, says about her situation under our health care system. She writes:

It's very difficult to be in this position. As a part-time lecturer at a college, I'm not eligible to buy health insurance through the system.

She says:

I was born with a serious congenital hip deformity and have incurred some 30, mostly related, surgical procedures to make it possible for me to walk and function with relative normalcy. It has given--she names her insurer; I will not report that--all the reason, it seems, to legally deny me the coverage I so desperately need. All other venues I have attempted to engage to secure affordable, sustainable, and efficacious coverage have similarly been denied me. I cannot tell you how hurtful this has been. The trickle down economics of my currently uninsured state has had a terrible impact on my daughter also, who just earlier today asked me, ``Mom, how long ago is it since your last mammogram?'' I told her, ``Five years, I think,'' to which she replied, ``Well, I've already lost one parent. I don't want to lose two.''

What is happening to people in New Hampshire and throughout this country is devastating to people like Colleen and Judith.

But despite Colleen's struggles and the difficulties life has placed in her path, she has remained optimistic and hopeful that things will get better. I, too, am optimistic. I am optimistic we can pass comprehensive health reform that changes the way the insurance market works so my neighbors Colleen and Judith from New Hampshire and Americans in communities all across this country no longer face this discrimination.

The reality is we can't always control whether we get sick, and when we are at our most vulnerable moments, we shouldn't have to worry about whether we are going to be kicked off our insurance or whether our coverage is going to run out. Health care reform will offer this peace of mind to millions of Americans. Health care reform will touch the lives of all Americans.

We have the opportunity to improve our health care system for everyone in New Hampshire and across the country, and we must act now on this opportunity and pass meaningful, comprehensive health care reform.

I thank the Chair.

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