Health Care
As a small business owner I understand firsthand how difficult it can be to provide quality health care to employers. Every person I have employed depends on health care coverage for their family. That is why health care reform is personal for me. There is no doubt that rising health care costs have prevented families from seeking the care they need. I believe that Washington can take the steps necessary to enact sound legislation that truly drives down costs and increases access to quality care, without creating a maze of new bureaucracy that stands between you and your doctor.
Legislation I support:
• I voted to protect Medicare for our seniors. It is my belief that Washington must keep its promises to our seniors and that is why I believe we need to preserve and protect Medicare for those 55 and above, and work to strengthen the program for future generations.
• I am a cosponsor of H.R. 452 which would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). This is a bipartisan effort that aims to fix one of the most detrimental aspects of the health care reform bill that was passed last Congress. The IPAB is a proposed panel of unelected bureaucrats, who will be tasked with finding ways to reduce the cost of Medicare, supposedly without affecting coverage or quality. With minimal accountability, I believe this group of unelected individuals should not have the power to come between you and your health care provider or restrict your personal health care decisions.
• I also support H.R. 605, the Patients’ Freedom to Choose Act. This legislation repeals the provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that restricts payments from health saving accounts (’s) and flexible spending accounts (FSA’s). I believe that patients should have the power to take more control over personal health care spending by utilizing HSA’s and FSA’s, without government interference.
• I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 436 which repeals the tax that last year’s health care bill imposed on medical devices. Such tax would likely be passed along from manufacturers to the consumer in the long run, raising health care costs across the board.
• There are some things that are working in our health care system- Medicare Part D is one of them. This program is structured so allow participants a choice- and, as a result, total program costs are 40% below initial estimates. This program provides significant savings to seniors and also improves the quality of care. I believe that we should implement similar practices across the board so that seniors have better, more affordable choices.
• Medical malpractice is also a major factor in rising health care costs. As such, I have cosponsored H.R. 5, the HEALTH Act, so that we can implement comprehensive liability reform at a federal level to curb the practice of defensive medicine and deter excessive and expensive lawsuits.
For more information concerning my work and views on Health Care, please contact my Washington, DC office.
I look forward to your feedback.
Thank you.