Health Care

I support health care reforms that will increase access to affordable, quality care, lower costs, increase competition, improve portability for those between jobs, and expand coverage for pre-existing conditions.  In 2010, I opposed the Administration’s government takeover of America’s health system, which could lead to government rationing of care, create waitlists for needed procedures, and limit your choice of doctors and medical treatments.  The overhaul will increase the national debt by more than $300 billion, and imposes massive tax increases on families and small businesses.  Many states, excluding Illinois, have challenged the constitutionality of the health law’s mandate that individuals must purchase health insurance, whether they want it or not.  And employers across the nation are seeking waivers from the law’s burdensome regulations.

That is why I support repealing and replacing the new health law with sensible reforms that will lower the cost of care and maintain bipartisan progress on items like coverage for pre-existing conditions.

We can and must do better.  I am a long-time supporter of legislation to create association health plans so that small businesses can use the power of risk pooling to get the same discounted coverage available to larger companies.  Americans also should be allowed to shop for health care coverage across state lines to find the plan that matches their medical needs and pocketbooks.  Further, the health care system is in critical need of medical malpractice reform to curb junk lawsuits that force doctors to practice defensive medicine and drive up costs.  Incredibly, we can do all of this and prevent insurance companies from dropping those with pre-existing conditions, without raising taxes.  It is my hope that Congress will start over and draft a truly bipartisan plan that increases access and lowers cost, without crippling our economy with punitive new taxes.