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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:          Susan Kuczka

847-940-0202

847-612-1665 (cell)

Bill cuts $500 billion in Medicare, including Medicare Advantage coverage for 121,722 Illinois seniors

Kirk: “In teeth of the Great Recession, this legislation puts thousands of Illinois jobs at risk and stalls an economic recovery.”

WASHINGTON—Over the past year, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) led a group of 32 centrist
House members to build health care reform legislation in partnership with over five-dozen patient, nurse, hospital, employer and disease advocacy groups. This centrist bill was introduced after eight months work but was blocked from any vote by the House Rules Committee.

Among its provisions, Congressman Kirk's centrist health care reform legislation would:

• Adopt the Medical Rights Act (H.R. 2516) to prohibit the government from interfering with decisions made by you and your doctor;
• Enact lawsuit reform to reduce expensive defensive medicine;
• Enable Americans to buy coverage from any state in the Union, especially if a plan is less expensive or more flexible for your family or small business;
• Provide individuals who buy their own insurance the same tax break employers receive; and
• Not raise taxes, add to the deficit or cut Medicare.

“I support health care reforms that decrease costs and boost access without tax increases or cuts to Medicare,” Congressman Kirk said. “The legislation passed by the House will increase health insurance premiums by $2,300 for 612,000 Illinois citizens, cut Medicare by $500 billion, including Medicare Advantage cuts for 121,722 Illinois seniors, and raise taxes by $500 billion. Caterpillar, a major Illinois employer, would see its health care costs increase by 20 percent, or $100 million, in the first year alone. In the teeth of the Great Recession, this legislation puts thousands of Illinois jobs at risk and stalls an economic recovery. It is unfortunate that instead of passing a bipartisan bill that reforms lawsuits, allows families to buy insurance across state lines and protects the doctor-patient relationship, we are left with a very partisan bill that explodes the deficit, increases health care costs and raises your taxes.”

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