Reconciliationtion Act Of 2010

Floor Speech

Reconciliation Act Of 2010

* Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010, because this bill is good for seniors, good for women, good for small businesses, and good for all Americans. Today we have the opportunity to take a historic vote that will forever change the face, health, and life of America for the better. H.R. 4872 will provide access to affordable, quality health care for over 30 million Americans and will reign in the ever-escalating costs of health care. Today, history will be made and a legacy left behind for generations to come. 435 Members who represent over 300 million people will be remembered for beginning to fulfill the promise all Americans were pledged, the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness which adequate healthcare embodies.

* For the people I represent in the 37th District of California, H.R. 4872 will improve coverage for 299,000 residents who already have insurance. It will give tax credits and other assistance to up to 146,000 families and 15,100 small businesses to help them afford coverage. H.R. 4872 will improve Medicare for 63,000 beneficiaries in my district, including closing the donut hole for them. This legislation will extend coverage to 92,500 uninsured residents of the 37th District and will guarantee that 17,500 residents with preexisting conditions can obtain the health insurance they need. H.R. 4872 will protect 1,100 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs and will allow 59,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents' insurance plans. This bill will provide millions of dollars in new funding for 11 community health centers in my district. And finally, it will reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $125 million annually.

* H.R. 4872 helps seniors by ensuring that they will not be forced out of Medicare, that their doctors will continue to care for Medicare patients because of increased payment levels, and that the prescription donut hole will be completely closed by 2020. H.R. 4872 helps women by eliminating the discriminatory gender rating system, making sure that insurance companies do not consider pregnancy grounds for denying coverage, and doing away with all preexisting conditions. H.R. 4872 helps the uninsured by extending coverage to 95% percent of Americans. Furthermore, it increases access and choice for all Americans by providing $11 billion in new funding for community health centers, of which there are 11 in my district alone. Finally, H.R. 4872 helps small businesses by eliminating price and benefit discrimination, providing tax credits for up to 50 percent of the cost of insuring their employees, and giving them greater control over the spiraling costs of health care coverage.

* As I participated in countless debates, caucuses, and meetings over the past year, I knew that each step we took put us one step closer to what Theodore Roosevelt proposed in 1908 over 100 years ago: quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans. Our health care system up until now has not worked for most people, whether it be the physician as provider, the employer as payer, or the patient as recipient.

* Mr. Speaker, this bill provides American families with stability and peace of mind. Never again will they have to choose between their health and their livelihood. H.R. 4872 provides all American families with the possibility of better healthcare.

* It is time for us to move forward. H.R. 4872 is a new direction for this great country. I urge my colleagues to be a part of this historic heatlh care policy change, and to be part of the days ahead in which we will work to further strengthen it.

Source