Legislation to improve coverage for seniors, small business and individuals  

After reviewing the bill’s final language, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that she would be voting in support of health-care reform legislation this weekend.  The vote is expected to come on Sunday or Monday morning.
 
“This reform will improve health care for seniors, strengthen Medicare, crack down on the insurance companies and make coverage more affordable," Pingree said. "It doesn't do everything I would like, but it makes many of the reforms Maine people have been asking for years."
 
Video of Pingree speaking in support of the bill on the House floor today is online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hw2aaAMc1Q.
 
“Reforms in this bill will help seniors by strengthening Medicare, ensuring they don’t have to pay for preventative care and closing the prescription drug donut hole.  It puts a stop to some of the insurance industry’s worst practices like denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and dropping people when they get sick,” said Pingree. “It will help make health care affordable for thousands of people and small businesses across the state.”
 
The bill will extend coverage to 63,000 uninsured Maine residents and reduce out-of-pocket health-care costs and close the prescription-drug donut hole for 255,000 seniors. 
 
“The cost of doing nothing is something we simply cannot afford any longer,” said Pingree.  “If we do nothing, insurance companies like Anthem will continue to push skyrocketing premiums on individuals while they post record profits.  If we do nothing, our seniors will still have to decide between getting their prescriptions or heating their homes.   I am thrilled that we are finally taking action to confront these costs.” 
 
“This reform is also fiscally responsible," Pingree said. "Not only is it fully paid for, but it actually reduces the deficit by $1.3 trillion dollars in the next 20 years."
 
On Thursday, the Congressional Budget Office found that the bill will cut the federal deficit by $138 billion over the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years.