CMS Report On Health Care Bill

Floor Speech

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, despite assurances the health care bill would actually lower costs for the American people, actually things are quite different. An independent CMS report released last week concluded America will spend $311 billion more on health care under the new law than we would have without it. It increases taxes on the middle class. About 3 million people will have to pay the insurance mandate penalty tax. It also kills jobs through mandates on small businesses.

The American people have said this is not the direction in which they would choose to go. Health care reform should be patient-centered to increase access to care and reduce costs without bankrupting our Nation and limiting our liberties. We should, rather, allow individuals to band together across State lines to allow deductibility to everyone for the cost of premiums, and to crack down on junk lawsuits.

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