Arizona lawmaker says the status quo is unacceptable
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today delivered the following statement on the need for health insurance reform.
I rise today to address our single most important domestic issue that faces our country: reforming our broken health insurance program.
Now we spend too much, we receive too little and we’re left worrying that the insurance that we have won’t be enough.
Nationwide, premiums have doubled in the last nine years, increasing three times faster than real wages.
Arizona’s Eight Congressional District is especially burdened: in 2008 we had over 950 personal bankruptcies due to health-care problems.
We can’t perpetuate the status quo.
Arizonans need reform that protects us from being denied coverage based on a pre-existing condition.
We need reform that guarantees care if we lose our job or if we move.
Arizonans need reform that fosters competition and delivers us, the customer, the lowest cost and best service.
Arizonans need reform that puts the power back into the hands of patients and doctors.
We can do this and we must do this.
If you like your plan, you should be able to keep it and your costs should down, not up. There are savings to be had in our current system and we must focus on squeezing out every drop.