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HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
WE CANNOT REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT BECAUSE THAT IS LIKE
THROWING ICE WATER ON THE
BACK.
I TALK ABOUT THIS
QUESTION WILL PROMISES MADE BE
PROMISES KEPT?
IT WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED
BY OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE WHEN WE WERE
IN THE MAJORITY, SIMES --
SOMETIMES IT MAY BE A DIFFICULT
QUESTION AND WE HAD TO BE JUDGED
ACCORDING TO OUR DEEDS AND
WHETHER THEY MATCHED OUR
BUT THIS RULES PROCESS THAT IS
UNDER WAY AS WE SPEAK ON THE
HEALTH CARE BILL, THERE ARE
THREE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP,
NUMBER ONE, THE FISCAL ISSUE.
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
HAS SAID THAT THIS LEGISLATION
WILL INCREASE THE DEFICIT BY
$230 BILLION AND THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE IS
THE NEUTRAL ARBITER AND WE
EITHER GO BY THE C.B.O.
ESTIMATES OR SAY WE ARE GOING TO
PLAY THIS GAME WITHOUT A REFEREE
AND GOING TO MAKE UP WHATEVER
NUMBERS FOR OUR POLITICAL
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO ADD $230
BILLION TO THE DEFICIT.
MY COLLEAGUES ON THE REPUBLICAN
SIDE AGREE WITH US THAT WE
CANNOT DO THAT.
IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE TO DO IT.
AND THIS LEGISLATION THAT
REPEALS HEALTH CARE WILL ADD
$230 BILLION TO THE DEFICIT.
SECONDLY, THIS QUESTION ABOUT
THE OPEN PROCESS.
AS THE MEMBER FROM MARYLAND
SAIDF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN
OPEN PROCESS, THERE HAS TO BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, THE MEMBER
FROM FROM COLORADO, FOR EVERY
MEMBER OF THIS BODY TO OFFER
THEIR AMENDMENTS, YES OR NO,
WHETHER WE SHOULD CONTINUE
PROTECTION FOR FOLKS WHETHER
THEY HAVE A PRE-EXISTING
CONDITION OR NOT.
RIGHT NOW, THE LAW IS, YOU HAVE
CANCER, YOU CAN GO OUT AND BUY
INSURANCE.
IF YOU HAVE A SON OR DAUGHTER
GETTING OUT OF COLLEGE, THEY CAN
STAY ON YOUR POLICY.
RIGHT NOW, THE LAW IS IF YOU
HAVE A MOM OR DAD ON MEDICARE
AND TRYING TO GET PREVENTATIVE
CARE, THEY CAN GET IT FREE.
RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAVE DIABETES
OR CANCER, YOU HAVE A SERIOUS
LONG-TERM MEDICAL CONDITION,
THERE IS NO LIFETIME CAP TO
COVER THE MEDICAL CARE THAT YOU
NEED.
THE REPEAL LEGISLATION WOULD
TAKE AWAY FROM EVERY SINGLE
AMERICAN WHO NOW ENJOYS THOSE
INSURANCE PROTECTIONS, IT WOULD
TAKE IT AWAY FROM THEM,
SUDDENLY, ABRUPTLY AND WITH
THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
THIS IS REAL, BY THE WAY.
CONGRESSMAN EDWARDS GAVE A
COUPLE OF STORIES AND WE ALL
HAVE THEM IN ALL OF THE
DISTRICTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO
ARE ADVOCATING FOR REPEAL.
I SPOKE TO DONNA WATTS FROM
PLAINFIELD, VERMONT AND SHE
WORKS IN BURLINGTON VERMONT WITH
20 OTHER EMPLOYEES.
FOUR OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHE
WORKS WITH, ALONG WITH HER, NOW
HAVE THEIR CHILDREN ON THEIR
HEALTH CARE POLICIES.
HER SON GOT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL,
GOT A $10 AN HOUR JOB AND CAME
WITHOUT HEALTH CARE.
AS MOST ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS DO.
AND THE WORST HAPPENED.
HE HAD A CAR CRASH.
$20,000 IN MEDICAL BILLS.
THOSE ARE STILL LARGELY UNPAID
AND THIS FAMILY TAKES SERIOUSLY
THEIR OBLIGATION TO PAY THEIR
BILLS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE.
WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE
LEGISLATION LAST YEAR ON HEALTH
CARE REFORM, DONNA WHAT THES WAS
ABLE TO PUT HER -- WAS WAS ABLE
TO PUT HER SON ON INSURANCE AND
DOES THIS MEAN IF WE REPEAL
HEALTH CARE MY SON LOSES
INSURANCE?
AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS.
AND IT RAISES THE OTHER
QUESTION.
IF THIS IS NOT GOT A POLITICAL
AAGENDA AVE ATTACHED TO IT.
WE HAVE GONE FROM A CAMPAIGN TO
GOVERNING AND THE MAJORITY DID A
GREAT JOB IN THE CAMPAIGN AND
BEAT US UP PRETTY GOOD AND HAVE
THE MAJORITY NOW.
BUT WITH THAT COMES THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNING IN A
RESPONSIBLE WAY.
YOU ARE ACTING
RESPONSIBLY, WHEN YOU SEE A
PROBLEM, YOU FIX IT.
YOU DON'T ABOLISH EVERYTHING.
YOU DON'T ABOLISH A BANKING
SYSTEM IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE
PROBLEM IN THE FINANCIAL WORLD.
YOU DON'T ABOLISH ALL OF THE
GOOD THINGS IN THIS HEALTH CARE
BILL TO DEAL WITH THE THINGS
THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO THIS IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS
DECISION THAT'S BEING MADE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A TEMPLATE FOR
THE FUTURE OF THIS 112TH
CONGRESS CONGRESS.
ARE WE GOING TO ACTUALLY DEAL
WITH FISCAL DISCIPLINE EVEN WHEN
THAT'S INCONVENIENT WITH OUR
POLITICAL AGENDA?
AND THE ANSWER FOR THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IS YES.
ARE WE GOING TO PROTECT THE
PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE THAT
BENEFITS ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS
WHEN IT COMES TO THESE INSURANCE
REFORMS AND ARE WE GOING TO HAVE
AN OPEN PROCESS ON THIS BODY SO
THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE
DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW WILL
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN UP OR
BY THE WAY, THAT'S NOT GIVING US
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR
AMENDMENTS BUT LETTING OUR
CONSTITUENTS KNOW WHERE WE
STAND, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE
DAY, THAT'S THE ONLY BASIS UPON
WHICH THEY CAN DECIDE WHETHER TO
SEND US BACK HERE OR SEND US
PACKING.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
REPRESENTATIVE PRICE.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN
FOR YIELDING AND ALSO FOR
ENGAGING IN THIS DIALOGUE WITH
OTHER MEMBERS ABOUT THE
CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING.
TO REDUCE THIS COUNTRY'S DEFICIT
SPENDING AND REDUCE THE
ACCUMULATING DEBT AND STATEMENT
TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT QUALITY,
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ARE
AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR
CITIZENS.
AND AS THE GENTLEMAN HAS POINTED
OUT VERY, VERY ABLY, THOSE TWO
CHALLENGES ARE INTRICATELY
RELATED.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS
FOR SUPPORTING HEALTH INSURANCE
REFORM IS BECAUSE WE SIMPLY MUST
REDUCE OUR DEFICIT SPENDING AND
MUST REDUCE THIS COUNTRY'S DEBT.
ONE OF THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO
OUR COUNTRY'S ESCALATING DEBT IS
THE KIND OF ESCALATING OF HEALTH
CARE COSTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN
RECENT YEARS.
IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS
TO FAMILIES, TO BUSINESSES, TO
THE OVERALL ECONOMY.
HEALTH CARE'S BECOME THE FASTEST
GROWING COMPONENT OF THE FEDERAL
BUDGET AS THE GENTLEMAN WELL
KNOWS.
LAST YEAR HEALTH CARE ACCOUNTED
FOR 17.3% OF G.D.P.
THAT'S MORE THAN TWICE THE
AVERAGE OF OTHER DEVELOPED
NATIONS.
NOW THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT CORRECTS THE
FAILURES OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM
WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE MANY
STRENGTHS THAT WE KNOW THAT IT
HAS.
HERE IN THIS FIRST WEEK OF THE
NEW CONGRESS TO SEE OUR
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES NOT ONLY
GOING AFTER THE PROTECTIONS IN
THE HEALTH CARE LAW BUT ALSO
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY ABANDONING
THEIR COMMITMENT TO FISCAL
DISCIPLINE.
NOW THE FIGURES THAT I SAW THIS
MORNING SHOW THAT THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, THE
NONPARTISAN ARBITER OF BUDGET
DECISIONS FOR THIS BODY,
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, HAS
SAID THAT THE REPEAL OF HEALTH
INSURANCE REFORM AS PROPOSED BY
THE REPUBLICANS WOULD COST THE
FEDERAL BUDGET $230 BILLION OVER
THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
THAT'S A REVISED ESTIMATE, I
UNDERSTAND, EVEN GREATER THAN
WAS EARLIER THOUGHT.
THAT IS AN ASTOUNDING FIGURE.
OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS HAVE MADE
A BIG SHOW OUT OF THEIR
COMMITMENT TO DEFICIT REDUCTION
BUT THEY'VE MADE AN EXCEPTION.
THEY'VE CLEARLY MADE AN
EXCEPTION FOR THE REPEAL OF
HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM.
SO NOT ONLY IS THIS BAD HEALTH
CARE, NOT ONLY WOULD IT, FOR
EXAMPLE, SAY TO FAMILIES WHO
ONLY NOW ARE BEING ABLE TO
INSURE THEIR CHILDREN WITH
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, NO,
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE
OLD WAY WHERE THE INSURANCE
COMPANIES CAN DENY COVERAGE TO
YOUR CHILDREN, WHAT ABOUT THOSE
FAMILIES THAT NOW ARE ABLE TO
INCLUDE THEIR 24, 25-YEAR-OLDS
ON THEIR FAMILY POLICIES?
NO, THEY'RE SAYING, GO BACK TO
THE OLD WAY WHERE THAT WASN'T
POSSIBLE.
WHAT ABOUT OUR MEDICARE
RECIPIENTS WHO FINALLY ARE GOING
TO GET SOME RELIEF FROM THESE
UNCOVERED DRUG EXPENSES, THE
SO-CALLED DOUGHNUT HOLE?
THEY'RE SAYING, OH, NO, YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO ONCE AGAIN PAY
THOSE FULL EXPENSES.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY BAD POLICY IN
TERMS OF HEALTH CARE.
BUT THEN TO ADD INSULT TO
INJURY, ADDING $230 BILLION TO
THIS COUNTRY'S DEBT BURDEN OVER
THE NEXT 10 YEARS IS -- AND TO
DO THAT WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE,
WITHOUT ANY KIND OF RECOGNITION
THAT THIS HAS AN IMPACT ON THE
BUDGET DEFICIT, THAT JUST IS
ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE, THAT THE
REPUBLICANS WOULD BE SO
AUDACIOUS AS TO PROPOSE THIS IN
THE FIRST WEEK OF THIS NEW
CONGRESS.
AND THEN TO ADD ANOTHER INSULT
TO THE INJURY THEY'RE VIOLATING
THEIR VERY OWN PLEDGE OF
OPENNESS IN THE WAY THIS IS
GOING TO BE CONSIDERED.
I'M SURE THE GENTLEMAN'S BEEN
WATCHING AS I HAVE THE RULES
COMMITTEE ALL DAY TODAY.
IT'S ASTOUNDING.
YESTERDAY THERE WAS THIS
COMMITMENT TO OPEN RULES, TO
OPEN DEBATE, TO THE OFFERING OF
AMENDMENTS.
TODAY THEY'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING
TO SHUT IT DOWN.
IT'S AN UP OR DOWN VOTE.
MAYBE WE'LL GET AROUND LATER TO
SOME OF THESE OTHER QUESTIONS,
SOME OF THE REPAIR ASPECTS OF
REPEAL AND REPAIR, BUT RIGHT NOW
WE'RE JUST GOING TO REPEAL IT.
AND LET THE CHIPPING FALL.
THAT IS HORRIBLE PROCEDURE, IT'S
A SHUTTING DOWN OF THIS CONGRESS
BEFORE WE EVEN START, IT'S
HORRIBLE HEALTH POLICY.
IT'S A VERY, VERY BAD WAY TO
START THIS CONGRESS AND I
APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN FOR
CALLING US TOGETHER TONIGHT TO
TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE NEED
TO TALK ABOUT IT, WE NEED TO
THINK ABOUT IT.
WE NEED TO FIGHT IT IN EVERY WAY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. PRICE.
I RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMAN FROM
AGAIN FROM COLORADO.
I'D SAY TO MY FRIEND FROM
NORTH CAROLINA, HE'S TALKING
ABOUT THE FACT THAT SENIORS WILL
SEE THIS DOUGHNUT HOLE, THEIR
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES GO BACK
UP, THE COST TO GO BACK UP.
BUT EVEN MORE
WORRISOME THAN THAT IS THE FACT
THAT UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT, THOSE SAME SENIORS RECEIVE
IN MY DISTRICT OF COLORADO, THE
SUBURBS OF DENVER, 31,000
SENIORS RECEIVED $250 THIS PAST
FALL AS ASSISTANCE TO PAYMENT OF
THEIR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
EVEN WITH THAT WE STILL SAVE THE
$230 BILLION THAT YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT, BUT WHEN THEY
REPEAL THIS, IF THE REPUBLICANS
REPEAL THIS AND KIND OF
ALL-OR-NOTHING SITUATION, DO THE
SENIORS HAVE TO PAY THOSE $250
I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THEY OUGHT TO BE WORRIED
AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS SUCH AN
EXTREME MEASURE.
THEY'RE TAKING AWAY FREEDOMS
THAT BELONG TO THE PEOPLE,
BELONG TO AMERICANS, THEY'RE
DOING IT IN A RADICAL AND
IDEOLOGICAL WAY, WHEN THEY SAID
DURING THE CAMPAIGN, YOU KNOW,
LET'S PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK,
LET'S NOT SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY,
THEY'RE SPENDING MORE, THEY'RE
TAKING AWAY FREEDOMS AND I'M
CONCERNED THAT THOSE SENIORS ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THAT $250
BACK PER SENIOR AND THE SENIORS
SHOULD BE CONCERNED AS WELL.
THIS IS A RADICAL ACT, MR.
SPEAKER, MR. PRICE, WE'VE GOT TO
I HATE FIGHTING THESE BATTLES
RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, BUT IF
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THESE
KINDS OF RADICAL POSITIONS, WE
HAVE NO CHOICE.
AND WITH THAT I'D YIELD TO MY
FRIEND FROM OREGON, MR.
BLUMENAUER.
THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN'S
COURTESY FOR PERMITTING ME TO
SPEAK AS I APPRECIATE MY
COLLEAGUES COMING TO THE FLOOR
TO SPOTLIGHT SOMETHING THAT EACH
AND EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO BE
DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT.
WHAT IS IRONIC, BECAUSE I
LISTENED, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE
LAST FOUR YEARS AS A MEMBER OF
THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO MY DEAR
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, MR. RYAN,
TALK ABOUT THE SKYROCKETING
PROBLEM OF ESCALATING
ENTITLEMENT UNDER MEDICARE.
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE ARE 79 MILLION OF THE BABY
BOOMERS LIKE ME WHO ARE GOING TO
START COLLECTING MEDICARE.
10,000 A DAY STARTING THIS WEEK
AND CONTINUING FOR 19 YEARS.
AND BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT
OF MORE IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH
CARE, NOT ONLY ARE THERE MORE OF
US, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WANT MORE
COMPLEX AND EXPENSIVE CARE.
MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS WERE
TALKING ABOUT AN ENTITLEMENT
CRISIS.
THE IRONY WAS, AND WE ALL HEARD
IT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, THEY
TALKED ABOUT SLASHING MEDICARE.
WHICH THEY WANT TO REPEAL
STARTING NEXT WEEK.
A GREAT DEAL OF IRONY.
AS THE INDEPENDENT SCORE KEEPER,
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
HAS POINTED OUT AND YOU HAVE
REPEATED ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, THE
LEGISLATION WILL IN FACT SAVE
SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS
-- BILLION DOLLARS, BUT MORE
IMPORTANT THAN THAT, IT PUTS IN
PLACE REFORMS THAT WILL FURTHER
REDUCE ENTITLEMENT SPENDING.
I COME FROM A PART OF THE
COUNTRY AND I KNOW MY GOOD
FRIEND FROM VERMONT IS WELL
FAMILIAR WITH THE DARTMOUTH AT
LASS DEALING WITH HEALTH CARE
DISPARTS AROUND THE COUNTRY --
DISPARITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS
THAT MEDICARE NEEDS TO BE
REFORMED.
THAT IS WHAT WE STARTED IN THIS
LEGISLATION AND THEY'RE
RELATIVELY MODEST STEPS BUT
THEY'RE GOING TO SAVE A COUPLE
HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS.
WE NEED TO DO MORE.
RATHER THAN REPEALING THESE
REFORMS LIKE STOPPING
UNNECESSARY HOSPITAL
READMISSIONS, JUST THAT ITEM
COSTS OVER $12 BILLION A YEAR.
THESE REFORMS COULD ENABLE US TO
BEND THE COST CURVE.
IF EVERYBODY PRACTICED MEDICINE
THE WAY IT'S PRACTICED IN
METROPOLITAN PORTLAND, OREGON,
WHICH IS HALF THE PRICE OF
MCALLEN, TEXAS, OR MIAMI,
FLORIDA, THERE WOULDN'T BE AN
ENTITLEMENT CRISIS FOR DECADES
TO COME.
I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES
FOCUSING ON THE HYPOCRISY AND
THE RECKLESSNESS OF TRYING TO
REPEAL HEALTH CARE REFORM THAT
MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR 32
MILLION UNINSURED AMERICANS,
THAT PROVIDES MORE BENEFITS FOR
THE SENIORS WITH THEIR
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, BUT MOST
IMPORTANT AND UNDERAPPRECIATED
IS THAT IT WOULD REFORM MEDICARE
SO THAT INSTEAD OF DRIVING US
OFF A CLIFF OVER THE NEXT 20
YEARS IT WOULD IN FACT HELP US
CHANGE HOW MEDICINE IS
PRACTICED, TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES
FOR VALUE, MEDICAL VALUE, RATHER
THAN JUST VOLUME.
THANK YOU, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OREGON.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MAY I INQUIRE HOW
MUCH TIME WE HAVE?
THE
GENTLEMAN HAS THREE MINUTES
REMAINING.
LET ME JUST ASK THE GENTLEMAN
FROM NORTH CAROLINA, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO MAKE ANY CLOSING REMARKS
AND THEN YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN
FROM COLORADO.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN
AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSCORE WHAT
OUR COLLEAGUE FROM OREGON HAS
JUST SAID.
THERE'S SO MUCH CONCERN
OBVIOUSLY FOR GOOD REASON ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF MEDICARE.
THE MOST CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE
I'VE SEEN IS THE HEALTH CARE
REFORM EXTENDS THE FISCAL
SOLVENCY OF MEDICARE BY EIGHT
YEARS AND SOME ESTIMATES ARE
MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SO TO SIMPLY THROW THAT
OVERBOARD AS WELL AS TO SAY,
WELL, THIS DOUGHNUT HOLE, THESE
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT SENIOR
CITIZENS ARE PAYING FULL FREIGHT
ON MORE MEDICINES THEY SIMPLY
MUST HAVE THIS GAP IN COVERAGE,
WHAT INSURANCE POLICY ANY OF US
OF GAP IN COVERAGE?
IT'S RIDICULOUS.
AND WE'RE FINALLY FIXING IT, AS
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO
SAID, $250 PAYMENTS THIS YEAR, I
MEAN, I GUESS THIS RAISES THE
QUESTION WHETHER EVEN THAT MIGHT
BE TAKEN BACK.
BUT IN FUTURE YEARS WE'RE GOING
TO CLOSE THAT DOUGHNUT HOLE,
WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE
SOLVENCY OF MEDICARE.
ANYBODY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
HEALTH CARE FOR THIS COUNTRY'S
SENIOR CITIZENS SIMPLY HAS TO BE
VERY, VERY ALARMED AT WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT
NOW.
THANK YOU, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
ILEDE YIELD -- I'LL YIELD TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
SURE.
I APPRECIATE MY FRIENDS.
INSTEAD OF AMENDING OR REPAIRING
AS MR. PRICE FROM NORTH CAROLINA
REPEAL.
JUST TAKE IT AWAY.
WELL, THEY'RE TAKING AWAY
FREEDOMS, THEY'RE TAKING AWAY
THE FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION
FOR PRIOR ILLNESSES LIKE MY
DAUGHTER WITH EPILEPSY, LIKE THE
DAUGHTER WHO HAD CHROMES DISEASE
OR THE FRIEND AT THE GAS
STATION, TAKEN AWAY THE FREEDOM
FROM CANCELLATION BECAUSE YOU
GET SICK, YOU KNOW, LOSE YOUR
INSURANCE, YOU KNOW, TAKING AWAY
THE FREEDOM TO MOVE JOBS, SO
YOU'RE NOT STUCK IN A JOB, YOU
CAN MOVE JOBS AND NOT FEAR
LOSING YOUR INSURANCE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE TAKING AWAY A
LOT AND MAYBE THIS $250 THAT
WENT TO THE SENIORS.
IT'S A RADICAL MOVE.
TO TAKE THESE FREEDOMS AWAY.
AND I HOPE THEY THINK TWICE AND
DON'T VOTE TO REPEAL.
WITH THAT I'D YIELD BACK TO MY
FRIEND FROM VERMONT FOR HIS
FINAL REMARKS.
WELL, I THANK MY
COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE.
BOTTOM LINE, ANY TIME WE PASS A
MAJOR PIECE OF LEGISLATION WE
SHOULD HAVE THE HUMILITY TO
ACKNOWLEDGE IT CAN BE IMPROVED.
AND WE ALL DO.
WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER, WE CAN
MAKE IT STRONGER.
BUT TO TOTALLY DESTROY THINGS
THAT WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR
DECADES TO ACHIEVE ON BEHALF OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, HAD HELP
FOR SENIORS WITH THEIR
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, EXTENDING
THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF
MEDICARE, CHANGING AND
ENCOURAGING A NEW WAY OF
DELIVERING HEALTH CARE SERVICES,
MOVING AWAY FROM FEE FOR SERVICE
VOLUME-DRIVEN TO
PATIENT-CENTERED FOR --
PERFORMANCE-BASED CARE AND THEN
INSURANCE FORMS THAT PUT THE
PATIENT IN CHARGE, THAT
ACKNOWLEDGES WE'RE ALL IN IT
TOGETHER AND TAKES AWAY THE
ABSOLUTE UNILATERAL POWER OF
FOR-PROFIT INSURANCE COMPANIES
TO DECIDE WHETHER YOUR DAUGHTER
OR MINE GETS HEALTH CARE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THANK YOU.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 12-A OF RULE
1, THE HOUSE WILL STAND IN