On the recordFebruary 23, 2010
I am a physician. I still see uninsured patients at the public hospital where I've worked for 20 years. Now, to give uninsured patients access to private health care, we've got to lower costs. But lowering health costs is more than just access; it's also about a stronger economy. According to the White House Council on Economic Advisers, they had a study that explained that lowering health care costs lowers unemployment, raises the standard of living, and prevents disastrous budgetary consequences. Unfortunately, neither the House nor Senate bill lowers costs. The Congressional Budget Office says that each will more than double costs over the next decade. Yesterday, the President released a new proposal combining the House and the Senate bill. But combining two bills that don't lower costs results in a third bill which certainly doesn't lower costs. If you don't lower costs, access and quality suffer, our economy suffers, people lose their jobs. The American people--Republicans, Democrats, and Independents--want health care reform but they want reform which controls costs in reality, not just in rhetoric. They know that their health care, economy, and jobs depend upon it.
