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Sam Johnson: U.S. Congressman, Third District of Texas

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Health Care

Health Care

Americans want, need and deserve a patient-centered approach to healthcare

After Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) unveiled sweeping health reform legislation written behind closed doors, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) declared that government-forced insurance is not the answer and urged Congress to reconsider a targeted, more bipartisan approach.

“Today the Democrats proposed the biggest Washington takeover to date.  Americans don’t want insurance bureaucracy and we certainly don’t need government bureaucracy.  With this plan, the American people will end up with both,” declared Johnson, who serves on the Health Subcommittee on Ways and Means.  “Americans deserve a better approach to healthcare – one that is patient-centered, rather than insurance company-centered or Washington-centered.  Government-forced insurance is not the answer.”

 

The newly introduced Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, costs nearly $1 trillion and represents three months of intense secret negotiations among House Democrats.  The 2,000 page bill hurts seniors with sweeping cuts to Medicare, forces Americans to buy health insurance, taxes all Americans who do not purchase “government approved” health coverage, limits personal choices and individual decisions, and jeopardizes the health insurance Americans already have – and often times like. 

 

“Democrats and Republicans ought to be talking about how we can find solutions to provide more access to more treatments and more doctors with less interference from insurance companies and Washington politicians and special interests,” continued Johnson.

 

Johnson takes issue with the nearly $1 trillion price tag that will greatly impact future generations.  “The costly mistakes we make today will force our children and grandchildren to work twice as hard for half the opportunity. That’s not right.”

 

Johnson believes that healthcare in America needs reform and feels that Congress can and must do better with a targeted, bipartisan approach.  There are several important areas where Republicans and Democrats agree and could move forward.  First, people should have access to coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions.  Second, individuals, small businesses and other groups should be able to join together to access insurance at lower prices, the same way large businesses and labor unions do.  For years, Johnson has championed legislation to do just that.  (The Small Business Health Fairness Act, H.R. 2607)  Third, America can and should provide assistance to those who still cannot access a doctor when they need one.  Fourth, insurers should be able to offer incentives for wellness care and prevention.  Fifth, any healthcare reform proposal should include medical malpractice liability reform so healthcare providers can stop practicing defensive medicine and instead focus on patient-centered medicine; this would save taxpayers an estimated $54 billion.

 

Johnson also advocates several common-sense solutions, such as giving the American public and Members of Congress 72 hours to read legislation before it comes up for a vote.  In addition, Johnson thinks that Members of Congress should practice what they preach and enroll in the government-controlled plan if they vote for it.

 

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act," in the coming days. As this legislation will personally impact every American and the critical doctor-patient relationship, I encourage North Texas residents to review the details carefully. The full text of the bill is available here.

 

Link to H.R. 3962 as introduced by Speaker Nancy Pelosi on 10/29/09

 

Learn more about the eight key Republican healthcare solutions (including legislation championed by Johnson) here.

 

Read over 50 Republican healthcare solutions here.

 

Read a copy of the bill in Allen, Garland, McKinney Plano, or Rowlett.  Learn more here.

 

The experts at CMS report that under the Democrats’ latest healthcare bill, changes will include:



·        Millions of Seniors Will Lose Their Health Plan:
As a result, of the Democrats' Medicare cuts, OACT predicts that enrollment in MA will decline from 13.2 million in 2014 to just 4.7 million, a 64 percent decline in projected enrollment.  This also means that millions of seniors will lose the health plan that they have today.

·        Fewer Doctors And Hospitals Treating Medicare Patients:
“Providers for whom Medicare constitutes a substantive portion of their business could find it difficult to remain profitable and might end their participation in the program (possibly jeopardizing access to care for beneficiaries).”

·        Medicare Benefits Will Be Cut for 11 Million Seniors:
Medicare Advantage (MA) cuts would result in “less generous benefit packages. …Under current law, MA plans use rebate revenues to reduce Medicare coinsurance requirements, add extra benefits such as vision or dental care, and/or reduce enrollee premiums for Part B or Part D of Medicare.” 

To read the full CMS report, click here.

The Congressional Budget Office has this to say about HR 3962:  Click here to read what their report says.