Health Reform
Here’s my simple belief – in the most powerful, most affluent country in the world, nobody should die or go to bed desperately sick simply because they have the misfortune to get sick and don’t have enough money to see a doctor. Today, America spends twice as much on health care, on a per capita basis, than any other country in the world, and we get results that simply don’t warrant all that extra expenditure.
The Affordable Care Act is a pathway toward fixing this broken system. It’s no secret that health care costs have been increasing at an unsustainable rate in our country, and skyrocketing prices mean that fewer Americans are getting the care and services they need. This law will improve coverage for approximately 700,000 Connecticut residents and enable thousands more to obtain insurance for possibly the first time. It also requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of all premium dollars on patient care rather than administrative costs. In addition, the Affordable Care Act will also improve Medicare for the nearly 600,000 beneficiaries in Connecticut, provide free preventive and wellness care to all Americans, and even allow young people to stay on their parents’ health care plan until age 26.
Will Congress need to amend, perfect, and improve the health reform act moving forward? Of course, and I will be open to changes that make the law better. But make no mistake – the Affordable Care Act will make our health care system more affordable, and tilt the balance of health care power away from insurers and toward patients and providers. I believe that quality, affordable health coverage should be a right in America, not a privilege available only to those who can afford it. The Affordable Care Act is already improving health care in our country, and I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to improve the law so it works even better for people and businesses across Connecticut.
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