VOTES AGAINST GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTHCARE AND NEW TAXES AND HEALTHCARE BUREAUCRACIES

Washington, Nov 7, 2009 - “We have an opportunity to help all Americans by reducing the cost of health insurance coverage, and I voted for a plan to do just that,” stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Sixth). “Instead of making healthcare more affordable and more accessible, the House approved a bill that subsidizes coverage for illegal immigrants, cuts $426 billion from Medicare, costs over $1 trillion, and imposes over $750 billion in new taxes on individuals, families, small businesses, and corporations. It also sets $20 billion in taxes on medical devices and creates $168 billion in penalties on individuals and in employer mandates.”

Stearns voted for the Common Sense Healthcare Reform & Affordability Act*, which was offered as a substitute to the Pelosi bill. Explained Stearns, “This measure focuses on reducing the cost of coverage instead of new taxes, mandates on businesses and families, and drastic cuts to Medicare, including $170 billion from Medicare Advantage, which serves 22,000 people in my district. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO)**, the Republican bill would reduce federal budget deficits by $68 billion, while reducing the cost of health coverage by up to 10 percent. I supported a bill that is 219 pages long, compared with the 2,000 pages of the Pelosi bill, which grows to about 2,500 pages with the Manager’s Amendments and report language.”

Added Stearns, “In approving the Pelosi bill, the House voted to allow illegal immigrants to obtain government-subsidized healthcare through the Health Exchange due to weak identity verification requirements for applicants. The CBO reports that tort reform would save $54 billion in healthcare expenses, but the Pelosi bill explicitly prevents States that accept grants funds for tort reform from capping non-economic damages or attorney fees even if it is current law. This will lead to higher costs and make it harder to recruit more doctors to practice medicine.”

Videos of Stearns’ Healthcare Statements on the House Floor

http://www.youtube.com/repcliffstearns

* Link to Republican Bill

http://rules-republicans.house.gov/Media/PDF/RepublicanAlternative3962_9.pdf

**Link to CBO Report

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10705/hr3962amendmentBoehner.pdf