Health Care

I support real reform to our health care system.  Unfortunately, the health care law that the Democrats passed will expand the size and scope of our government, tax businesses and lifesaving medical devices, allow taxpayer-supported abortions, and cut $500 billion from Medicare.  There are 149,000 seniors on Medicare in my district, and 27,000 seniors on Medicare Advantage who could lose their current plans.  There are common-sense solutions that we can do to improve our health care system without cutting Medicare or imposing $500 billion in new taxes.

On January 19, 2011, the House of Representatives passed, with my strong support, H.R. 2, a bill that repeals the unconstitutional health care law.  H.R. 2 has been sent to the Senate for further action.  The House of Representatives also passed H.Res. 9, which requires the House to develop an alternative to the health care law.  I serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, Medicare and Medicaid laws.  I will work with my colleagues to develop health care legislation that uses free market principals to lower the cost of health care without unnecessarily expanding government, hurting seniors or increasing our national debt.

I have cosponsored several bills that would reform ourhealth care system.  The Health Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare Act (H.R. 5) would reform medical malpractice laws and save the government $54 billion.  The Health Care Choice Act (H.R. 371) would eliminate government mandates and allow consumers to purchase health insurance across state lines.  The Defend Medical Innovation Act (H.R. 436) would eliminate the tax on life-saving medical devices.  The Medicare Decisions Accountability Act (H.R. 452) which would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).  IPAB is scheduled to make more cuts to Medicare beyond the $500 billion already cutfrom Medicare.  I cosponsored the Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act (H.R. 1173), which repeals the financially insolvent CLASS Act created in the health care law.  The Medicare Patient Empowerment Act (H.R. 1700) would allow Medicare patients see doctors that do not participate in the Medicare program and allow them to pay the difference out of pocket.  Additionally, I have introduced the Health Care Tax Deduction (H.R. 171), which would allow American taxpayers todeduct health care expenses without needing to itemize and the Promoting Responsibility in Medical Expenditures Act (PRIME, H.R. 3474) which would reduce the fraud in Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP.

In 2010, I cosponsored the Common Sense Health Care Reform and Affordability Act.  This bill would not raise taxes and it would reduce the federal deficit by $68 billion.  It would allow individuals to purchase health plans across state lines, allow small businesses to band together in a larger group to buy insurance, allow children to remain on their parent’s plan until age 25 and establish a Universal Access Program to provide coverage to those with pre-existing conditions through high-risk insurance pool.  This bill will lower the cost of health insurance for individuals, small group and large group markets without excessive government growth.