CONGRESSMAN CONNOLLY WILL VOTE YES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) said today he will vote yes for the historic health insurance reform legislation scheduled for a vote Sunday in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“For the past year, my constituents have told me they want health insurance reform, but only if it meets certain tests,” Connolly said.  “Will it bring down premiums for families and small businesses?  Will it reduce the deficit?  Will it protect their choice of plan and doctor?  Will it improve access to care?”

“The answer to each of these questions is ‘Yes, it will’,” Connolly said in a statement to be delivered on the House floor.

“I and many others in the House may have reservations about elements of this Senate bill, but after carefully reviewing the reconciliation bill before us today I am confident that this final reform package does still meet those tests outlined for me by my constituents,” he said.

“Make no mistake.  This is not an easy vote for any of us,” Connolly said.  “We are tackling an issue that Congresses before us have been struggling with for the better part of the past century since Teddy Roosevelt first called for comprehensive health care in America.”

Calling the vote a “historic crossroads,” Connolly said, “We can choose to set our nation on the path to improving the access to and quality of health care for millions of Americans, young and old, and finally containing the costs of that care, or we can continue the status quo.  Doing nothing threatens to leave more families without the basic care they need and bankrupt our small businesses, the engine of our economy, as they buckle under the costs of providing insurance for their employees.”

Connolly said the legislation will safeguard Medicare benefits for another generation, close the so-called donut hole to lower drug costs for seniors, protect guaranteed benefits, and cut waste, fraud, and abuse in the program.  “Without reform, AARP says millions of seniors and their families will be at risk of bankruptcy because of skyrocketing costs for long-term care services.”

In the 11th Congressional District of Virginia, Connolly said the legislation will: lower premiums by 14 to 20 percent for the self-employed and others who purchase their own insurance, provide tax credits and other assistance to help 87,000 families and 16,800 small businesses afford coverage, and protect more than 1,400 families from medical bankruptcy in the next year alone. 

“These are meaningful reforms for which Democrats, Republicans, and the American people can be proud,” he said.  “Contrary to what some might contend, this is a bipartisan bill.  The House and Senate bills include distinct Republican ideas and amendments.  In fact, 147 of them are in the bill before us today.  But rather than engage in a rational, thoughtful debate on this complex and critical reform, the organized opposition has preyed on the public’s fear and anxiety and repeatedly fallen back on bumper-sticker slogans.”

“Right now, 14,000 Americans lose their health care coverage each day because of out-of-control costs.  We cannot afford to delay any longer,” Connolly said.

                                                                           
See below for Connolly’s full statement and background statistics:

March 20, 2010
Statement of Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11th)
H.R. 4872 - Reconciliation Act of 2010

We have reached a historic crossroads in our nation’s history.

We can choose to set our nation on the path to improving the access to and quality of health insurance for millions of Americans, both young and old, and finally containing the costs of that care, or we can continue the status quo, which threatens to leave more families without the basic care they need and bankrupt the engine of our economy, our small businesses, as they buckle under the costs of providing insurance for their employees.

Make no mistake. This is not an easy vote for any of us. We are tackling an issue that Congresses before us have been struggling with for the better part of the past century since Teddy Roosevelt first called for comprehensive health care in America. 

Throughout the past year, I have consistently heard from my constituents that they want health insurance reform but only if it meets certain tests:

• Will it bring down premium costs for families and small businesses? Yes, it will.
• Will it reduce the deficit? Yes, it will.
• Will it protect their choice of plan and doctor? Yes, it will.
• Will it improve access to care? Yes, it will.

Now, I and many others in this body may have reservations about elements of the Senate bill, but after carefully reviewing the reconciliation bill before us, I am confident that this final reform package meets those tests outlined by my constituents.

This reform will make health care more affordable: Today, Americans collectively spend nearly $2.5 trillion each year on health care costs. Nearly two-thirds of this reform is paid for by reducing those costs. It will lower premiums by 14% to 20% for those who purchase their own insurance, including the self employed, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It also will lower premiums for those who purchase insurance through their employer. It will provide tax credits and other assistance for 87,000 families and 16,800 small businesses in my district – the 11th District of Virginia -- to help them afford coverage. Across the Commonwealth of Virginia, 70% of the uninsured adults have jobs; they just don’t have access to affordable insurance. More than 14,000 families in my district will be protected from medical bankruptcy in the next year alone because of this reform.

This reform not only will be deficit neutral; it will reduce the deficit: According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, this reform will reduce the deficit by $138 billion over the next 10 years and go on to reduce the deficit by another $1.2 trillion dollars in the next 10 years. Further, it will reduce the annual growth in Medicare expenditures by 1.4%.

This reform will increase choice of coverage: The Health Insurance Exchanges created by this package will provide a new menu of options for individuals, families and businesses from which to choose the right kind of health care that best suits their needs. No longer will they be limited by a monopolistic marketplace where the interests of insurers outweigh those of the consumers.

This reform will expand access to care: 95% of all Americans – including more than 39,500 uninsured residents in my district alone -- will now be able to get coverage. More than 54,000 young adults in my district who are in college or just starting their careers will be able to maintain coverage through their parents’ insurance. The bill also will prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Within 90 days of passage of this reform, a new high-risk insurance pool – a reform advocated by Sen. John McCain -- will be created to provide access to coverage for those who cannot find it now.

Right now, 14,000 Americans lose their health care coverage each day because of the out-of-control costs. We cannot afford to delay any longer. They cannot afford for us to delay any longer.

These are meaningful reforms for which Democrats, Republicans and the American people can be proud. Contrary to what some might contend, this is a bipartisan bill. The House and Senate bills included distinct Republican ideas and amendments – 147, in fact, in the bill before us today. But rather than engage in a rational, thoughtful debate on this complex and critical reform, the organized opposition has repeatedly fallen back on bumper-sticker slogans. They have preyed on the public’s fear and anxiety rather than rely on their “better angels,” as President Lincoln once said.

Forty-five years ago, when I was a young debater, the national debate topic was, “Would the adoption of Medicare lead to socialized medicine in America?” The same distortions used then are being used by the same party and the same opposition forces now. Those tactics are just as disingenuous today as they were then. When we look back now, do we regret that the 89th Congress had the courage to do the right thing in providing for the safety and security of our seniors? I don’t think so.

This reform will build on that commitment and safeguard Medicare benefits for another generation. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what seniors themselves had to say about this form:

The AARP says this will strengthen Medicare by closing the donut hole to lower drug costs for seniors, protecting guaranteed benefits and cutting waste, fraud and abuse.

Without reform, AARP says millions of seniors and their families will be at risk of bankruptcy because of skyrocketing costs for long-term care services.

Assertions to the contrary notwithstanding, this bill will improve Medicare. It will:
• Provide free annual wellness visits;
• Eliminate out-of-pocket copayments for preventive care and screenings
• Improve coordination among doctors to provide better chronic care
• Improve payments to primary care physicians to preserve access to care for seniors
• Extends the life of Medicare for at least another decade

If we delay reform, or even worse, do nothing, seniors on Medicare will be worse off. 
Allowing Medicare spending to increase without limit will simply expand the debt for our children and grandchildren.  Because the proposals fully protect guaranteed Medicare benefits, this is a sensible savings for the program we can afford. 

Medicare premiums doubled over the past 8 years and will double again in the next 8 years if we don’t slow the rate of growth in spending by attacking overpayments and fraud.  It’s estimated that $60 billion in overpayments were improperly made to Medicare service providers in 2009.

Immediate Benefits this Year
• Families
• No discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions
• Extend child coverage to 26th birthday through parents’ insurance; our most uninsured group
• Free preventive care under new private plans – no copayments or deductibles
• Interim coverage in high risk pool for those with pre-existing conditions until Exchange is available
• More primary care doctors – new investment in training to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals.
• Community health centers – invests $11 billion to double number of patients over 5 years

• Small Business
• Businesses with 50 or fewer employees will be exempt from the bill’s requirements
• Tax credits for businesses with 25 or fewer employees to cover up to 35% of premiums if they choose to provide coverage (that will increase to 50% in 2014)

• Seniors and Retirees
• Close the Medicare Part D Donut Hole – immediate $250 rebate this year;50% discount on brand name drugs starting next year; fully closed within the decade, saving typical seniors $3,000 a year
• Help for Early Retirees – temporary coverage for ages 55-64
• Free Preventive Care Under Medicare – no co-payments and deductibles for seniors

• Market reforms
• Ends Rescissions – bans insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick
• Ensuring value for premium payments – plans in individual and small group market must spend 80% of premiums on medical services, large group markets must spend 85% -- meaning more of your premiums must be spent on providing you care otherwise the insurance companies must provide you a rebate for unjustified costs
• Ban Lifetime coverage limits
• Ban restrictive annual limits on coverage, for new plans
• Ensures consumers will have effective internal and external appeals process to challenge decisions made by their insurance plans

Endorsements:
As I’ve outlined above, this bill meets the tests outlined for me by my constituents and will deliver meaningful reform for our families and small businesses. As further evidence of the broad support for these reforms, let me share with you a sampling of the more than 250 organizations supporting passage of this bill. They represent such varying constituencies as health care providers, those suffering from chronic conditions and disabilities, seniors, women, children, the faith community, business, labor, communities of color, and other health care consumers.

• American Medical Association
• AARP
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Cancer Society
• American College of Physicians
• American Diabetes Association
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
• American Hospice Association
• American Nurses Association
• Catholic Health Association
• Consumer Federation of America
• Doctors for America
• Japanese American Citizens League
• Mental Health America
• NAACP
• National Association of Children’s Hospitals
• National Association of Community Health Centers
• National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems
• National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
• National Council of Asian & Pacific Islander Physicians
• National Hispanic Medical Association
• National Medical Association
• National Physicians Alliance
• NETWORK, the national Catholic social justice lobby, announced that some 60 leaders of religious orders representing 59,000 Catholic nuns
• Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Service Employees International Union
• Small Business Majority
• The Arc of the United States