House Committees Introduce Historic Health Care Reform

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree applauded historic legislation announced today by three House Committees—the American Affordable Health Choices Act—to reform our health care system and ensure affordable, quality care for all Americans.
 

House Leadership and the Committees on Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means have worked to develop an American solution that builds on what works in our health care system and fixes what’s broken, putting patients – not profits – first, while reducing the burden of ballooning health care costs on American families, businesses and our fiscal future.


“We are closer than we have been in decades to agreement on how to make our health system work for—not against—Americans and American businesses,” Pingree said.  “The growing cost of health care is one of the biggest drags on our economy. We have an opportunity to put doctors and patients back in charge, and give Americans peace of mind that they can keep the care they like and never be denied the care they need. We can lower costs, offer more choices, end the days of making job and life choices just to keep your health insurance, and improve the quality of health care throughout the system. This reform is an absolutely crucial part of our long term plan to rebuild our economy in a responsible way and lower health care costs for American families and businesses.”

The reform announced today is a strong starting point to protect what works in our health care system and fix what doesn’t in an effort to put us back on the path to prosperity and fiscal responsibility.
 
“This plan tells every American – if you have coverage and a doctor you like, keep it,” Pingree said. “If you don’t, this plan will help you find and afford quality care.”

The health care reform fulfills commitments made by this Congress and President Obama to reform health care. The plan offers:
 
LOWER COSTS FOR CONSUMERS
·        No more co-pays or deductibles for preventive care
·        An annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses—keeping Americans from financial ruin
·        An end to rate increases for pre-existing conditions, gender or occupation
·        Group rates of a national pool if you buy your own plan
·        Guaranteed affordable oral health, hearing and vision care for kids
 
GREATER CHOICE
·        If you like your doctor and current plan you can keep them
·        More choice, with a public health insurance option competing with private insurers
 
STABILITY & PEACE OF MIND
·        End to denials for pre-existing conditions like heart disease, cancer or diabetes
·        Get needed care, no lifetime limits
·        Job and life choices no longer based on health care coverage
 
HIGHER QUALITY
·        Doctors, not insurance giants, in charge
·        More family doctors and nurses entering the workforce, helping to guarantee access
·        Benefits must include mental health

“If we don’t act now to reform health care, rising costs will cripple family budgets, American businesses will fall behind and our fiscal future will be threatened,” said Pingree. “Within a decade, we will be spending one out of every five dollars we earn on health care. We simply can’t afford not to act on this historic reform.”


More information on health care reform:

What’s in the health care reform bill for you?
 
The cost of inaction
 
Myth vs. fact on health care reform
 
Strengthening Medicare