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Klobuchar Statement on Passage of Senate Health Care Bill

December 24, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released the following statement today following the Senate passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Klobuchar Statement:

“The Senate vote this morning was an important step forward to a final vote on health care reform.  I will continue to push for a final bill that includes strong Minnesota-model cost reforms, deficit reduction, protections against insurance company abuses, and strong, stable Medicare coverage.

Minnesotans know that we can’t simply keep pushing our problems to another day.  Rising health care costs are unsustainable, busting the budgets of families and businesses alike. 

This legislation includes some of my key priorities. It would begin to rein in costs by rewarding value instead of volume, something I worked extensively with the Mayo Clinic to include.  The Senate bill reduces the fee on medical devices that was included in the Senate Finance Committee version by $18 billion. It would improve breast cancer screening. It includes incentives for more rural and primary doctors.  It makes it easer for small businesses to purchase health care with extensive tax credits. It fixes the donut hole by giving seniors coverage for their prescription drugs. And it includes provisions to combat Medicare fraud which siphons off $60 billion a year in taxpayer money.

As we move toward a final vote, I’ll continue my efforts to ensure that reform serves the best interests of Minnesota.”

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