Political Quotes

“I am here today in support of the Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Saving Act, a bill aptly named after my colleague and friend, my co-chair on the Doctors Caucus, Dr. Michael Burgess. This important legislation is going to allow the Congressional Budget Office to measure the long-term impact of health policies, breaking free from the arbitrary 10-year budget window that currently constrains our ability to help our fellow Americans to live a healthier and longer life. This is something that we as the Doctors Caucus have met with CBO on. They were not sure how to do it. Dr. Burgess put forward a way that we can get this done. We worked in a bipartisan manner to enact policies that can bring patients more access to drugs, treatments, cures. Yet, when looking at the initial cost of bringing new treatments and drugs to patients, the long-term savings that are associated with keeping Americans healthier for longer are not considered. They need to be. The Congressional Budget Office should have the ability to fully score the impact that reductions in obesity, access to early and preventive treatments, and keeping patients healthier will have on Medicare, for example. It has been my great honor to serve with Dr. Burgess on the Doctors Caucus and here in Congress. I am glad to support this bill led by Dr.…”