Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise here today in support of H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for all Patients Act, and I thank Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers for bringing this important legislation forward. I am a physician who is proud to join my colleagues in leading this bill that bans the use of quality-adjusted life years, QALYs, as it is called, in all Federal programs. As a physician I took an oath, determined to treat each patient as a human being first and foremost. Quality metrics intentionally devalue treatments for disabled and chronically ill patients in determining whether a treatment is cost-effective. In other words, telling the patient, you are not worth it. The bottom line is this: These cost measurements put an artificial dollar value on a person's life, valuing the lives of Americans differently. In doing so, QALYs interferes with the sacred duty of a physician to care for all patients equally. Treating all patients equally and with a personal touch is something that I have always taken great pride in. Our healthcare system must value all lives and ensure every person is treated with dignity. Our government should never deny healthcare to all Americans based on how much a life is perceived to be worth. This is a check on our morality. This is a check on our values. We should value human life and work towards healthier human lives, not devalue human life nor indignify one another. Mr.…”