Yesterday, Congresswoman Sue Myrick signed onto a free market driven alternative health care bill and simultaneously called on Speaker Pelosi to put the bill on the floor opposite the Democrat health care bill(s) so that the American people can compare for themselves which bill is more to their liking.
Sue supports HR 3713, the American Health Care Solutions Act. The primary bill the Dems have been pushing in the House is HR 3200.
I believe the Republican leadership in the House is making a tactical mistake by not putting forth a health care bill that encompasses the reforms and values we as a party believe in. To not put a bill together is to risk being labelled as the party of no. In fact, that is exactly what we are routinely called in the national media.
Here's the deal, if we believe in our ideas... I mean truly believe them, then why not put them out their for the world to see. What good is an idea if you are just going to hide it away.
Sue believes that a government run health care plan is BAD for America. We stood up to HR 3200 and helped fight it. We continue that fight.
But while we fight Against that bill, why doesn't the Republican leadership push FOR the bill that accomplishes the reforms we believe in? From a political perspective, to do otherwise, is to appeal to your base of political support only and do nothing to reach out to Independents and Swing Democrats. Why would we do that? We can enact meaningful reform, help reform parts of the health care system that are broken, help lower the cost of heath care for millions of people in a free market-friendly way, and politically appeal to that cross over vote, thereby strengthening our parties appeal to other demographics.
We simply must start fighting for what we are FOR with the same voracity that we fight that which we are Against.
So in that spirit, Sue signed onto a great health care reform plan drafted by Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08).
“Rep. Rogers’ bill addresses all of the issues I’ve been talking about for months – things that can truly make a difference within our health care system,” said Rep. Myrick. “The reforms in this bill are common sense changes that still allow patients and doctors to make decisions about medical care. The American people have the right to know what alternative plans are being proposed, and I call for the Speaker to bring both bills to the floor so that the American people have the opportunity to compare the plans and decide what’s best for them”.
Some of the key provisions of the bill include:
· Preventing insurance companies from denying care based on pre-existing conditions or becoming sick
· Expanding federal block grants for state high-risk pools that accept all patients
· Creating association and small business health plans
· Allowing families to purchase insurance across state lines
· Enacting comprehensive medical liability reform
· Expanding and improving health savings accounts
· Allowing employers to offer discounts for healthy behaviour through wellness and prevention programs
· Strengthening penalties for Medicare and Medicaid fraud, and expanding funding for federal anti-fraud monitoring
· Establishing “transparency portals” in each state to provide families more information about health plans and providers
“Rep. Rogers’ bill addresses all of the issues I’ve been talking about for months – things that can truly make a difference within our health care system,” said Rep. Myrick. “The reforms in this bill are common sense changes that still allow patients and doctors to make decisions about medical care. The American people have the right to know what alternative plans are being proposed, and I call for the Speaker to bring both bills to the floor so that the American people have the opportunity to compare the plans and decide what’s best for them”.
Some of the key provisions of the bill include:
· Preventing insurance companies from denying care based on pre-existing conditions or becoming sick
· Expanding federal block grants for state high-risk pools that accept all patients
· Creating association and small business health plans
· Allowing families to purchase insurance across state lines
· Enacting comprehensive medical liability reform
· Expanding and improving health savings accounts
· Allowing employers to offer discounts for healthy behaviour through wellness and prevention programs
· Strengthening penalties for Medicare and Medicaid fraud, and expanding funding for federal anti-fraud monitoring
· Establishing “transparency portals” in each state to provide families more information about health plans and providers
Let the fight begin.
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