Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Under no circumstances would I vote to repeal the most effective, most meaningful, most sensitive health legislation that has been passed in this country since the Medicare-Medicaid provisions of the 1960s. Under no circumstances would I vote to repeal legislation that would provide the 107,000 individuals in my congressional district who have preexisting conditions.

Would I vote to repeal health insurance for more than 32 million Americans who otherwise would have no coverage? No way.

Vote this legislation down. Let's support the American people, keep them with health care.

The Seventh Congressional District of Illinois includes some of the most medically underserved communities in America. Census data revealed that 24 percent of families and 44 percent of children under 18 live below the poverty line. As a result, many of these individuals are susceptible to an anomaly of diseases and poor health. In fact, some communities on Chicago's west side experience infant mortality rates comparable with third-world countries. By repealing Public Law 111-148, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will take away support for community health centers, which provide critical resources for millions of Americans in every state and territory. In my district, there are many Medicare and Medicaid recipients that have established community health centers as their medical homes. Medicaid beneficiaries that rely on health centers for usual care were 19 percent less likely to use the emergency room at a hospital than other providers for nonemergency and usual care services. Overall, health centers save the health care system between $9.9 billion and $17.6 billion annually.

Community health centers provide high quality health care regardless of the ability to pay, and health centers in Illinois have a tremendous impact on our economy and employment. In 2008, 40 health centers operated over 350 sites, contributed almost one billion dollars to the Illinois economy, and directly employed almost 6,000 Illinoisans. Indeed, for every 10 people employed by an Illinois health center, an additional 4 jobs were created in their surrounding communities. Illinois health centers served over 1.1 million patients--nearly 80% of whom fell below the federal poverty level and 30% who had no health insurance, helping them cope with chronic health conditions and general health issues to be able to work and care for their families.

Repeal of the health care law would eliminate $11 billion in support for community health centers over the next 5 years, funding that will nearly double the number of patients served today and greatly strengthen Illinois's economy. Repealing the health care law would dramatically harm the health of hundreds of thousands of citizens in Chicago and Illinois.

Repeal of the health care law would greatly increase an already high level of health disparities among African-Americans and Hispanics. In a recent study, comparing health outcomes among African-Americans and Caucasians found that the gap in health disparities across the Nation was narrowing across ten (10) indicators; however, in Chicago, the reverse was occurring in health disparities among African-Americans and Caucasians are widening. Given all that has been stated above, the reversal of health care reform would have tremendous negative impact on Chicago when considering the unemployment rate, the crisis in the housing market and the abundance of the urban poor that exists within our communities. Most affected will be the working poor who are most commonly uninsured as their company provides little or no medical benefits. The middle aged childless individual who is not eligible for Illinois public aid and naturally men without children who are not veterans or eligible to be covered through Illinois public aid are affected as well. Lastly, we must consider the devastating impact the burden of the uninsured has placed on the healthcare delivery system, specifically hospitals who avoid caring for uninsured patients and resulting in the lack of access to primary and specialty care. The funding from the Affordable Care Act would assist community health centers to stay on track to add 20 million new patients (for a total of 40 million patients) over the next 5 years.

Repeal of the health care law would eliminate health coverage for young people up to age 26 who would not be allowed to stay on their parents' plans. Repeal would force 2,600 young adults in my district to find other coverage or returned to the ranks of the uninsured.

Repeal would deny tax credits to buy health insurance coverage for 158,000 families in my district. Additionally, it would increased the numbered of uninsured residents to 48,000 in my district.

There are 107,000 to 282,000 residents in my district with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, including 7,000 to 30,000 children that the repeal legislation if passed would encourage health insurance companies to discriminate based on pre-existing conditions.

Repeal would eliminate tax credits for health insurance up to 14,100 small businesses in my district. These tax credits under the current law would provide small businesses up to 35% of the cost of providing health insurance.

The health care law is critical to Chicago and Illinois. Community health centers are vital partners in the health and economic well-being of Chicago and Illinois. For this reason, I do not support H.R. 2, Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law and Health care related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source