Every American should be confident that whether they lose their job, change jobs, get sick, or just grow old, they should be able to find affordable, high quality health care. But health insurance premiums continue to rise – making it harder than ever for workers and their families to afford health insurance coverage. This year the number of uninsured has increased to 45 million – the largest increase in a decade.

Democrats are fighting to expand the number of Americans with affordable health care. That's why the Democratic plan to bring down the cost of health care and expand health insurance coverage includes:

Small business tax credit. Because small businesses have an especially difficult time providing health insurance to their workers, the Democratic plan provides a tax credit to help small businesses offer health coverage to their employees. Over 60 percent of uninsured workers are employed by a small business.

Helping working families - creating FamilyCare health coverage. Over 70 percent of the uninsured live in a family with at least one full time worker. The Democratic plan provides new health insurance options for uninsured parents with children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Democrats are working to create new health insurance options for older Americans. Democrats want to allow older Americans who have lost their jobs, whose employers have dropped their retiree health benefits, or who have lost their insurance coverage, to buy into the Medicare program.

Common sense insurance reform. Democrats opposed legislation passed by House Republicans to cap non-economic damages in meritorious lawsuits and limit patients' rights. Instead, Democrats want to directly address rising premiums through health insurance reform, combat frivolous lawsuits, and provide direct assistance to communities that have a shortage of health care providers as a result of increases in malpractice insurance premiums.

Ensuring American consumers get a fair deal on prescription drugs. American seniors will spend $1.8 trillion dollars on prescription drugs over the next ten years - paying far more for some drugs than consumers in Canada and other countries.  Democrats believe that American consumers should not pay more for FDA approved drugs than consumers overseas do. Democrats also believe in increasing access to generic drugs, and increasing the government's negotiating power so the Department of Health and Human Services can obtain lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries.

Enrolling every eligible child in health insurance coverage. About 70 percent of the uninsured children in the United States are eligible for, but not enrolled in, a public health insurance program. Democrats want to ensure that every child who is eligible for coverage is enrolled.

Family Opportunity Act. Many children with significant disabilities do not have access to comprehensive health services because their insurance does not cover the care they need and their parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Their parents often forgo jobs in order to remain eligible for coverage of these services under Medicaid. The Democratic plan gives states the option to allow middle class families of children with disabilities to purchase Medicaid coverage, helping parents care for their children while continuing to work.