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U.S. Senator Jim DeMint
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Democrats' Medicare Strategy Puts Millions of Seniors at Risk
Posted by Jim's Staff 06/12/2008 - 11:18:36 AM
Currently, the Senate is considering legislation that would prevent physicians who treat Medicare patients from facing a 10-percent cut in their reimbursement on June 30. America’s seniors, who depend on Medicare, cannot afford for their doctors to take such a significant cut that will undoubtedly lead to decreased access to health care.

Both Republicans and Democrats are committed to saving seniors from this catastrophe, and both sides have introduced legislation that increases physician reimbursement under Medicare. But once again, Democrats see this as opportunity to put politics ahead of the best interest of the country. Democrats have used this debate as a vehicle to highlight their opposition to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In order to pay for their bill, the Democrats have slashed payments to MA plans, and in response, President Bush has indicated that he will veto the legislation. Not only does the Democrat strategy put doctors at risk, it puts the benefits of more than 10 million seniors and disabled Americans at risk.

Furthermore, the Democrat legislation includes provisions that will directly increase the financial strain on taxpayers’ wallets by expanding benefits, reducing cost sharing and expanding eligibility for certain benefits and services. And in some cases, it seeks to hide the true costs of these changes by delaying their full effect to outside of the budget window or assuming unrealistic reductions to physician payments. This is completely irresponsible, especially at a time when the Medicare Trust Fund will be completely depleted in 10 years...
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Reducing America's Uninsured with Health Savings Accounts
Posted by Jim's Staff 05/06/2008 - 11:55:01 AM
Last week on the Senate floor Sen. DeMint discussed the benefits of health savings accounts and how they are helping millions of Americans gain access to affordable, quality health care. As the America's Health Insurance Plans reported recently, the number of Americans using health savings accounts to pay for their health care needs has doubled in the last two years, to over 6 million people using HSAs today. In fact, their report found that 31 percent of HSA holders were previously uninsured, which means HSAs have empowered more than 2 million previously uninsured Americans gain access to quality health plans. In South Carolina today, 116,816 people own health savings account plans.

HSA's allow patients to control their health care decisions. Using tax-free savings accounts you can pay for medical services and products directly, insteady of spending months navigating insurance bureaucracies and going through piles of paperwork. HSAs also allow Americans to actually save the money they don't use: the money rolls over from year-to-year and is fully “portable,” meaning HSA coverage follows you even if you change jobs or retire.

But some members of Congress want to reduce your freedom to control your own health care decisions and continue to push legislation that discourages HSAs for all Americans.


In a recent op-ed posted at RealClearPolitics.com, DeMint explained why it was so important that Congress keep health care in the hands of the people by encouraging free-market competition to help every American get insured:

Why not nationalize health care and allow the government to control the entire system? Because as Americans we believe in the individual and in freedom....

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Who Should Control Your Health Care? Washington Politicians or You?
Posted by Senator Jim DeMint 10/02/2007 - 11:53:30 AM

America is at a crossroads on the issue of health care. As I said in the video above, you can’t split the difference between freedom and socialism. Over the next few years, decisions made by politicians in Washington will determine whether our nation slides toward socialism or reaffirms the freedom that has defined our country.

Republicans believe that all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care that you can own and keep. We believe patients should be free to make their own medical decisions, instead of waiting on Washington to pick their doctor.

But Democrats want the same government that handled the Katrina cleanup and runs the post office to control your health care. Just last week, Democrats in Congress hijacked a program intended for low-income children and radically expanded coverage to children who already have private insurance, adults, families making over $80,000, and even illegal immigrants.

Thankfully, President Bush had the courage to veto this bill. I will encourage all of my colleagues to support the President and oppose this bill that takes us closer to Cuban-style health care.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE DEMOCRAT SCHIP EXPANSION:

- House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio): 10 reasons to oppose the bill.

- White House: Five Key Myths about SCHIP

- Investor’s Business Daily editorial:
As passed by the House, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, will create a major new middle-class entitlement even as we face looming national bankruptcy from our $50.5 trillion (yes, you read that number right) in planned spending under Social Security and Medicare...

This is a very bad, very cynical bill, disguised as an effort to help children. If it becomes law, spending will soar and we will have taken another foolish step down the road to a poorly run, expensive and inefficient nationalized health care system.

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Healthcare Solutions Tour - February 21 -23, 2006
Posted by 02/27/2006 - 11:00:14 AM
Staff from the Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties pose with Senator DeMint during his
Staff from the Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties pose with Senator DeMint during his "Healthcare Solutions Tour" throughout the state of SC on February 23, 2006.
From February 21 -23, I was honored to tour our great state to talk about my plans to make health care more affordable and accessible. While America still has the best health care in the world, the support system that makes this possible is on the verge of collapse.

The symptoms of decay are evident: costly premiums, astronomical prescription drug costs, voluminous paperwork and medical malpractice insurance rates driving doctors out of the profession and discouraging students from even considering it.

We are at a crossroads in health care. Either we continue down the path of Washington bureaucrats making health care decisions or we create a bold new paradigm that puts patients and caregivers in charge.

I support a system that encourages ownership and choice, strengthens doctor/patient relationships, improves quality, reduces prices and allows us to keep our promises to seniors by giving them better choices in the future. This new model, “consumer-directed health care,” will unleash the power of free-market competition, make patients shoppers and allow health care to function like the rest of our growing economy.

Listed below, you will find articles, photographs, news releases and legislative details on patient-centered health care:

Photos from the Tour:
Healthcare Solutions Tour photo gallery

Related News:

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