Health Care Bill is Good for South Texas

“Helping the people of Texas District 15 is always foremost on my mind. The problems that affect their livelihood and their well-being are very important to me. This week, I voted to strengthen the livelihood and well-being of the people of our great nation and particularly for the residents of Texas District 15.

Over 40% of my constituents have no health insurance because it is simply unaffordable. This is why I voted for the historic health insurance reform bill.
You may hear some people saying that this is just a government take over. This is simply not true. This bill puts Americans and small businesses back in charge of their health care choices. It makes coverage more affordable for everyone through private health insurance plans and holds insurance companies accountable. I have heard too many stories of how health insurance companies have denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition or dropped someone’s coverage when they became ill. We’ve all seen how insurance companies hike up premiums arbitrarily and charge a healthy woman more than a male smoker. These practices will now end.

The time has come for Americans to be able to receive health care from their doctor and not be forced to get their health care needs at the most expensive point of service -- the emergency room. When that happens, as it has for years, it costs all of us more money and contributes to the high premiums that are forcing employers and families to drop coverage. We had to get a handle on out-of-control health care cost increases, and this bill will do that for all of us.
In fact, 24 community health centers in the 15th District will receive millions of dollars in new funding to see thousands of new patients.

So let’s talk about the other benefits this comprehensive bill offers. Over a quarter of a million South Texans will see improvements in their current health care coverage. Close to 30,000 South Texans with pre-existing conditions will be able to obtain health coverage. Nearly 11,000 small businesses in South Texas will get tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable for their employees. Close to 200,000 South Texas families will get tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable to them.

There has been much talk about Medicare and how it relates to this bill. Let me ease the minds of those who have heard negative and untrue remarks about this bill. Over 90,000 Medicare beneficiaries will see better care and will pay less for prescription drugs because the Medicare Part D donut hole will be closed. Our senior citizens and their families can rest assured that this bill is a positive change. Our veterans can also rest assured that there are no changes to VA, DOD or TRICARE benefits.

Parents can now keep their adult children on their own health insurance plans until they reach the age of 26. This will affect at least 66,000 young South Texans.

I do understand that Americans have strong opinions about this legislation because it does impact people at the most personal and at times most vulnerable level. No bill is perfect, but neither is inaction. If we had continued on the same path, health care costs would have sent our nation into bankruptcy in just a few years. The Health Insurance Reform bill is not only crucial for our economy, it is crucial for our nation’s fiscal well-being. It is fully paid for. It will rein in soaring health care costs, and it will cut the deficit by $1.3 trillion over the next 20 years.

We are doing many things in Congress to help get our country back on track. We are working to bring down our mounting national deficit and lower costs for small businesses. We are working to create more jobs in our communities and now we have improved improving health care coverage for millions of American families.

Many of the most important and historical pieces of legislation that has passed through the halls of Congress were met with criticism. This bill is no different. But as Americans, we have learned to look back on our accomplishments from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Social Security bill, to President Lyndon Johnson’s signing of the Equal Rights Act. Those were met with much resistance at first, but ultimately they prevailed and so have we as Americans. This Health Care bill is an incredible step in the right direction for our country and for the American people.

Rubén Hinojosa
U.S. Representative (TX-15)