Ed Markey: “Mr. Speaker, this Republican bill is the wrong prescription for our country. It isn't just a repeal; it's a bad deal.…”

“Mr. Speaker, this Republican bill is the wrong prescription for our country. It isn't just a repeal; it's a bad deal. It's a bad deal for small businesses and middle class families, who would lose tax credits included in the new law to help them pay for health insurance. It's a bad deal for grandma, who will face higher costs for the life-saving medications she needs. It's a bad deal for pregnant women, who could be denied coverage when they need it the most. Lydia Swan, my constituent, shared her story with me during the health care debate last year. Lydia was pregnant when her husband switched jobs. Her new insurance company said her pregnancy was a preexisting condition, and they wouldn't pay any expenses. So Lydia was insured, but she wasn't covered. That is wrong. It is just plain wrong. Mr. Speaker, a newborn child should be a pleasure and not a preexisting condition. New parents should worry about the baby and not about the medical bills. The new health care law closes the book on these kinds of insurance company abuses. Let us not today reopen it once again. Say "no" to this Republican bad deal that takes away patients' rights and freedoms, and say "yes" to a health care system that protects American families.”