William R. Richardson: “the chance for basic bipartisan health care reform may be slipping away, because some have taken a good idea and loaded…”

“the chance for basic bipartisan health care reform may be slipping away, because some have taken a good idea and loaded it up with a lot of gifts to special interests. Why do we not put the American people first for a change? Mr. Speaker, we all agree there are a few minor changes that we could make to our health care system that would cost the American taxpayer nothing, would offer security to millions of Americans in need of basic health care coverage. I say let us do those things that we can agree on. That is preexisting condition and portability. We have to stop the unjust practice of denying those with preexisting conditions insurance coverage. Many people who need insurance the most cannot get it because of these preexisting conditions. Another 4 million Americans who have insurance are afraid to leave their jobs, fearing that they never might be insured at another job again. Mr. Speaker, we should ask ourselves, how many are throwing themselves, begging for a medical savings account? That is for the healthy and for the wealthy. All our constituents are definitely knocking down our doors, demanding us to cut important services like medicare and medicaid and education so that we can spend billions on creating medical savings account. There are too many controversial malpractice reforms in this bill. Why do we have to load it up?”