Lloyd Bentsen: “Fortunately, Meredith is OK, and we need not worry about how we pay. That's not the case for the young woman I recently…”

“Fortunately, Meredith is OK, and we need not worry about how we pay. That's not the case for the young woman I recently met in my district who could not purchase health insurance because her daughter had a heart condition. Her husband earns too much to be on Medicaid, nor does she want to receive such assistance. She only wants the right to buy health insurance, but her daughter's preexisting heart condition precludes that. The Bentsen-Spratt-Dingell substitute would prohibit discrimination based on such preexisting conditions and ensure that this family could finally provide health care for their child without falling into poverty. Today, this House has the opportunity to pass simple, straightforward steps that will help millions of Americans like this Channelview, TX, family.”