(Washington, D.C.)  Today, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers led nine other women members of Congress, women small business owners and working moms in highlighting the adverse impact the current health care reform legislation will have on women, their families, their businesses and their jobs.

“I know as a mother and a wife the decisions women make relating to the health and well-being of their families, whether it’s their children, husband, parents, or other family members, are among the most important decisions that will ever come before us,” McMorris Rodgers said at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol.  “I now first hand we need to be able to trust our treating physicians and the recommendations they make – whether it be tests for my son Cole who has special needs or treatment for my husband or me.”

“Yet, the bill that the Majority is pushing through Congress manipulates the doctor-patient relationship – putting the federal government and federal bureaucrats in charge of health care decisions – not patients. The bill doesn’t stop there either.  It rations care and treatment and severely limits the insurance options available to individuals and families who may need it – all at an estimated cost of $1.28 trillion, putting our children and grandchildren deeper in debt.”

In addition, experts believe the Majority’s current health care legislation will:

• Push 114 million individuals out of their current health insurance
• Force 4.7 million individuals out of a job
• Cause physicians and hospitals to cut staff and services if they are not reimbursed fairly and entirely for the services provided

Instead of a government take over of health care, McMorris Rodgers favors health care reforms that preserve the doctor-patient relationship and allow tax credits and deductions to make health insurance more affordable for individuals, small businesses and their employees.  In addition, she favors reforming medical liability laws, investing in health information technology and reducing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid.  Furthermore, McMorris Rodgers believes small businesses should be allowed to band together to purchase health care reform and encouraging participation in prevention and wellness programs. 

Contact:
Destry Henderson
202-225-2006
202-279-0418