Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, well, that part of the Affordable Care Act has actually improved the quality of service. There are other things in the Affordable Care Act, such as funding for education of more providers, more doctors and nurses, and other providers because we have a lack of professionals. One area, for example, is psychiatry. If the Veterans Administration hired all the psychiatrists they need, there wouldn't be any for anybody else. We are so far behind. And the Affordable Care Act provides for that service. As you pointed out, there is a difference between the ability to pay for the services and the services that are there. People frequently compare the single-payer plan in Canada, which in many areas is a rural area. So you don't have the critical mass of population to support a high-tech medical system. So if you are going to have a baby, it is probably going to be delivered by a family doctor, not an obstetrician. In some areas, you have to go 200 miles to find a neurosurgeon. That doesn't have anything to do with the fact that they can pay for the services. It is just that the services aren't there. So when people talk about the health delivery system, as you pointed out, that is different. The fact that you can actually pay for services doesn't diminish the opportunity to have those services there; it actually increases the possibility that those services will be there.”