Why I Supported Health Care Reform
April 11, 2010
For the last two weeks, I have been holding Health Care Town Halls across the district. I have heard from Granite Staters on both sides of the issue. Many have stood up and thanked me for voting for health care reform, and many have expressed strong disagreement. Opinions are split, and our local television station correctly described the crowds at my town halls as "highly energized and deeply divided." Although it was going to be difficult either way, I believe my vote for health care was the right vote for New Hampshire and America.
I voted for this health care package because it will reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years, lower costs for middle class families, expand coverage for both uninsured and underinsured Americans, close the Medicare prescription drug donut hole, strengthen Medicare solvency, and provide tax credits to small business owners who choose to offer health insurance coverage to their employees. These businesses will finally be able to benefit from a larger purchasing pool to lower their costs. They have been asking for this for a long time, and this will help their bottom line. The Members of Congress who voted for this plan believe in it. That is why, in 2014, the only insurance plans Members of Congress will be offered will be purchased through the exchanges.
At many of my town halls, people have asked me why I didn't vote with my constituents, and my answer is always, "which ones?" New Hampshire's First Congressional District - which I am so proud to represent - is considered a "swing district," which means people are pretty evenly split on just about everything. I represent more than 650,000 people, and there is a wide range of thoughts and opinions. I have always been clear about my support for health care reform - I highlighted it during both the 2006 and 2008 elections. While this was not a perfect bill - none ever are - I was proud to vote for this bill that my committee, Education and Labor, worked on for more than a year.
As I stated, this was a very tough vote. But I did not come to Congress just to keep a seat warm. I came to work for change and to be an advocate for the people. I cast this vote because it will improve the lives of millions of Americans. In fact, the first phone call I made after the vote was to a constituent - a senior - that I met at one of my senior open houses. She told me that she was struggling financially because her husband fell into the Medicare donut hole. I told her that, because of this legislation, seniors who fall into the donut hole will now receive a $250 rebate this year, and a 50% discount for brand name drugs until the donut hole is completely closed in 2020. Also, her preventive care will no longer have co-pays and deductibles - it will be fully covered. The second phone call I made was to another constituent, a mother who had written to me about her daughter's preexisting medical condition. She shared her fears that her daughter would not be able to get coverage after college graduation. I explained to her that because of this health care reform package, her daughter could not be denied health insurance because of a preexisting condition, and that she could stay on her parents' plan until age 26. I voted for this health care reform package for these two constituents, and for my other constituents who will now see consumer-friendly changes in insurance reform.
This bill does a lot of great things for Granite Staters. Here are just a few:
• Improving coverage for the 466,000 people who currently have health insurance
• Providing tax credits to 128,000 families and 17,700 small businesses that are currently struggling with the cost of health care
• Strengthening Medicare for 102,000 seniors
• Extending coverage to 30,500 people currently without health insurance
• Guaranteeing that 8,900 residents with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health care
• Helping 900 families avoid bankruptcy because of an illness or injury
• Allowing 49,000 young adults who are just starting out to stay on their parents' insurance plans until they are 26.
This health care package received widespread support from hundreds of leading organizations in the health care industry. These organizations include the American Medical Association, the AARP, the American Cancer Society, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the Small Business Majority, Easter Seals, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and the National Rural Health Association.
As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, which was one of the three committees that had jurisdiction over the health care reform bill in the House, I was actively working to ensure that this package would positively impact New Hampshire. And it will. This is historic legislation, and I was proud to vote for it.
