Health Care

 

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2009 | PERMALINK
CONTACT: Michael Steel, Kevin Smith, Steve Forde - (202) 225-4000     

 

Boehner Statement on Democrats’ Small Business Tax

and Government Takeover of Health Care     

WASHINGTON, DC - House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement on the massive health care bill announced by House Democrats:

 

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program needs to be reauthorized and funded so that it can continue to serve children who cannot afford private insurance.  I have consistently been in favor of fully funding SCHIP to meet the needs of low-income children.  I supported legislation in previous Congresses and a Republican alternative today that would have ensured SCHIP focused on low-income children first.  Unfortunately, House Democrats hastily brought a bill to the floor that raises taxes, expands SCHIP coverage to adults and higher-income families, and makes it easier for illegal aliens to fraudulently apply for coverage.

 

Rep. Price wrote a great op-ed for today's Wall Street Journal.   Click here to read the full text. 

As a physician, it is clear to me that Medicare is incapable of providing quality care for every American and must not be the model for national health-care reform. Its flawed structure increasingly fails our seniors on all counts - responsiveness, innovation, access, cost and quality. We should focus on patient-centered improvements, not broad expansion of a broken system.

 

It’s been said too many times without being heard; Medicare, one of our country’s largest entitlement program, is quickly dying.  It is wrong that Democrats would propose a bill to eliminate the warning system designed to keep this program afloat.  You wouldn’t take the batteries out of your smoke detector, so why would you eliminate the warning system on a massive government program that our seniors depend on?  This is irresponsible and incredibly reckless legislation that will hurt our seniors and leave Medicare in shambles.

As a physician for more than twenty years, I applaud the unveiling of House GOP Health Care Reform Agenda.  Fundamentally improving the way Americans receive health care is among our most vital challenges. Bringing meaningful change will require bold ideas, and the leadership should be applauded for promoting this central issue and offering a clear and positive vision for health care reform.  As we move forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure all Americans have access to patient-centered health care that is affordable, responsive, innovative, and of the highest quality.

Today Senate Democrats moved forward legislation regarding physician payment cuts that is certain to fail, while the clock ticks on access to quality health care for our nation’s seniors.

Without urgent action by month’s end, access to quality health care for our seniors will be drastically reduced. Yet, Senate Democrats made it abundantly clear today that ensuring our seniors are covered is at the bottom of their priorities. They know the legislation pushed today will never become law. This cynical ploy serves only to run out the clock on our seniors and inaccurately lay the blame at the feet of Republicans.

Tim Walberg had a great Op-Ed in Tuesday's Washington Times discussing health care policy entitled "GOP Health Care Card."  He writes, "Our current health care system is fatally flawed, and right now more than 47 million individuals find themselves without coverage and millions more are underinsured. Now is the time to step forward with solutions that make health care more affordable and accessible, and place health-care decisions with medical professionals and patients."

 

While Congress will have a partisan debate over the federal budget this week, there is a growing, bipartisan consensus about the greatest threat to our nation's long-term economic prosperity: the explosion of entitlement spending. Unfortunately, Washington is not planning to address that problem this week, or any time soon. By doing nothing, we are shackling our future with unsustainable debt and taxes.