NEWS – CONGRESSMAN PETE STARK
239 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5065
www.stark.house.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Contact: Brian Cook, (202) 225-3202

WASHINGTON – The House Republican pledge unveiled three weeks ago would turn back the clock on health care progress.  Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today criticized the Republican plan to eliminate the limits on out-of-pocket expenses that will take effect when the health insurance exchanges open.

"No one should have to file for bankruptcy just because they get sick," said Chairman Stark.  "A Harvard study last year found that the majority of personal bankruptcies in the country were caused by health costs, and that 78 percent of these were among people who had health insurance."

"To prevent working families from facing crippling medical costs, the health reform law limits what insurers can force enrollees to pay in out-of-pocket expenses.  The Republican pledge would end these limits on out-of-pocket expenses, putting millions of consumers back at risk for bankruptcy if someone in their family gets sick."

In 2014, the health insurance exchanges will allow people to buy more affordable coverage with a set of guaranteed benefits.  As part of these benefits, insurers will be limited in how much they can force enrollees to pay each year in out-of-pocket expenses.

The Republican pledge would repeal this provision.

For more information on the Harvard study that linked medical costs to bankruptcies, please visit: http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343%2809%2900404-5/abstract

For additional information on how the Republican pledge is detrimental to America's health:
Repeal free preventive care: http://go.usa.gov/a4j
Reduce Medicare's solvency by 12 years: http://go.usa.gov/a10
Permit discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions: http://go.usa.gov/ach
End reinsurance program for early retirees: http://go.usa.gov/ac2
Shut down healthcare.gov: http://go.usa.gov/al8
Gut programs to fight Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse: http://go.usa.gov/xuT
Increase the uninsured by 29 million: http://go.usa.gov/xMU
Kick people out of new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans: http://go.usa.gov/x60
Eliminate the small business tax credit: http://go.usa.gov/xsj
Re-open the Medicare Part D donut hole: http://go.usa.gov/xGe
Repeal investment in health IT: http://go.usa.gov/xGF
More to come...