Joe Baca: “American families in my district are struggling to make ends meet and pay for health care services. Unemployment is 16…”

“American families in my district are struggling to make ends meet and pay for health care services. Unemployment is 16 percent. Foreclosure is the fourth in the Nation. The proposal released by President Obama this week is a step towards a healthier future for families and small businesses. Health cost coverage should be a right, not a privilege for the few. That means no loss of coverage when you get sick; coverage for as many people as possible that is affordable; do away with unfair practices like discrimination of preexisting conditions and caps on coverage; lower drug costs for seniors and lower premiums for early retirement; and better access and stronger protection for women. Health care reform will create jobs and bring down the deficit. In my State of California, Anthem Blue Cross proposed to raise their premiums with double-digit percentages. This must stop. I urge my colleagues to work to achieve health care reform. Let's not work with piecemeal solutions that will go nowhere, but solve the problems once and for all.”