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Health Care
Health care is an issue Americans spend a significant amount of time thinking about, including how to access services, as well as how to pay for them both now and in the future. Unfortunately, according to recent figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans without health insurance has increased to 45 million people. With health insurance costs expected to increase in the coming years, the risk of more American families losing their health coverage is a critical issue facing the nation. We need to change our health care laws to stabilize costs so that citizens in rural and urban settings can maintain access to high-quality, low-cost services.
Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have supported efforts to increase the efficiency that health care services are delivered and to focus more attention on patients, including paperwork reduction, expanded choice in the marketplace and the rejection of costly new mandates on insurance companies. Congress is considering numerous bills that will help to control the cost of health care and improve patient access, including:
Medical Liability:
-- Medical liability reform is a major issue under consideration by Congress. We need to pass legislation that would curb frivolous lawsuits and limit the need for defensive health care practices, but at the same time allow individuals who have experienced wrongful action to seek recourse and accountability. I am hopeful that medical liability reform will be signed into law during this session of Congress.
Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs:
-- To combat the increasing costs of pharmaceutical drugs, I have advocated for increased access to generic drugs. In 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which allows for greater access to generic drugs, as well as offers incentives for companies to create more generic drugs for consumers.
-- I have also long supported reimportation of pharmaceuticals from industrialized nations like Canada, and I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 328, the Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2005. This legislation would enable individuals to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs from authorized providers in other countries.
Access to Affordable Health Care:
-- Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy, and helping them to provide health care coverage to their employees has become increasingly difficult. I have strongly advocated for the creation of Association Health Plans. Such plans would allow small business owners to pool their resources in an effort to expand their negotiating power and provide additional choices in health care coverage for their employees.
-- I also believe individuals should have the opportunity to select the health insurance policy that best meets his or her needs, which is why I am an original co-sponsor of the Health Care Choice Act. The Health Care Choice Act would enable consumers to choose and purchase affordable health insurance policies that offer a range of benefits. The bill will allow consumers to shop for health insurance online, by mail, over the phone or in consultation with an insurance agent but would not limit them to policies that meet their state’s regulations and mandated benefits. Individuals would have the opportunity to choose a plan that is qualified in one state and offered for sale in multiple states that best meets his or her needs.
-- The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 also established Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which when coupled with a high-deductible insurance policy, provide an affordable and consumer-driven health care coverage option. Individual-driven approaches will enable consumers to select the care that is both best suited for their needs and the most cost-effective. I strongly believe that HSAs will revolutionize the delivery of health care in the years to come. To find out more about HSAs, please visit the Department of Treasury’s Web site.
As Congress continues the health care debate, I will continue to support legislation that encourages affordable, consumer-driven health care options, in addition to fighting for lower-cost prescriptions and a reduction in defensive medical practices.
Related
Documents:
Press Release
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Hoekstra Votes against Unnecessary, Politically Motivated Children’s Health Insurance Bill
1.23.2008
Press Release
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Hoekstra Votes to Extend SCHIP Program
12.19.2007
Press Release
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Hoekstra: Insure Poor Children First
10.25.2007
Press Release
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Hoekstra Votes against Moving toward Government-run Health Care
9.25.2007
Press Release
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$200,000 Reserved for Access Health in House Appropriations Bill
7.19.2007
More Documents...
Related Files:
CBA Act Fact Sheet
CBA Act Common Questions
AMA Supports CBA Act
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