HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS TOUR - FEBRUARY 21 -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: Releases: 2/23/2006 DeMint Pushes for Portable Health Insurance: Says Americans Should Be Able To Buy Coverage Across State Lines 2/22/2006 DeMint Plan Brings Transparency to Healthcare: Bill Would Require Hospitals to Disclose Pricing to Patients 2/21/2006 DeMint Health Plan Helps Uninsured: Expanding HSAs Makes Healthcare More Affordable, Accessible 10/06/05 DeMint, Durbin, Cornyn Sponsor Bill to Empower Healthcare Consumers 7/27/2005 Jim DeMint, Bill Nelson Propose Bill to Reduce Drug Costs 2/8/2005 DeMint, Salazar Join Forces in fight for Affordable Healthcare 1/26/2006 DeMint Cosponsors Bipartisan Drug Reimportation Bill Op-Ed: 2/22/2006 Patient-Centered Healthcare Articles: 2/27/2006 - Gannett News Service: Wal-Mart seeks allies on health benefits stance: Sanford offers company's top executive ideas on controlling costs 2/27/2006 - Charleston Post & Courier: Market-based health care facing hurdles 2/26/2006 - The Times and Democrat: DeMint knows health-care change coming 2/24/2006 - Sumter Item: DeMint pushes health care reform in S.C.: Senator visits Shaw, Tuomey on state tour 2/23/2006 - The Times and Democrat: A HEALTHier way: Sen. DeMint seeks reforms that would put free market into system 2/22/2006 - Anderson Independent Mail: Senator talks about alternative health plan 2/22/2006 - Greenville News Placing hope in health accounts: Health savings accounts could be one tool to help control the rising cost of health care in the U.S. 2/22/2006 - Associated Press: DeMint says health care, savings accounts top issue

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