WASHINGTON – Senator Kent Conrad made the following statement today after the Senate Finance Committee voted 14 - 9 to approve the America’s Healthy Futures Act — landmark legislation to lower costs, expand coverage and improve health care quality for all Americans. The Finance Committee proposal will now be merged with legislation approved by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions before going to the full Senate for consideration.
“The Finance Committee has crafted a proposal that will dramatically improve America’s health care system. It will expand coverage to 94 percent of Americans. It provides assistance to help families afford health insurance. And it includes key delivery system reforms that will encourage quality over quantity and ensure we are getting a better value for our health care dollars.
“The Finance Committee proposal also substantially reforms the insurance industry. It ends, once and for all, the shameful practice of denying health coverage because of preexisting conditions. It takes important steps to prevent insurers from raising premiums or dropping coverage in the event of sickness. It also does away with the often unfair caps on coverage that place an undue burden on families facing serious illness. And despite what the insurance lobby claims, the Finance Committee proposal makes great strides in making health insurance accessible and affordable to all Americans.
“The proposal is also fiscally responsible. It is completely paid for. It reduces the deficit by $81 billion over the next ten years – and by another $650 billion to $1.3 trillion in the following decade. It also includes a proposal I put forth to expand choice while providing much needed competition to private insurers without putting the government in charge of health care. My proposal, the public interest option, would provide a not-for-profit insurance competitor to the current for-profit insurance companies dominating the industry today. This model has competed and succeeded in many countries around the world. The increased competition helps lower costs, expands coverage and results in better health care outcomes. And that’s the real goal with health care reform.
“Finally, let me be clear about what this plan does not include. There is no government-run health care in this plan. Medicare benefits are not cut. There is no coverage for illegal immigrants in this plan. There are no “death panels” in this plan. And there is no expansion of federal funding for abortion services in this plan.
“What this plan does offer is a very good start to reforming our nation’s health care system. Can the Committee proposal be improved? Absolutely. And as we go through the process of completing this legislation, I am confident it will be.
“Make no mistake - the need for health care reform is clear. The time to act is now. We simply can't afford the status quo. We can do better. The Finance Committee proposal is key to achieving the changes we so desperately need.”
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Source: Sen. Conrad, KFGO News Center
