|
Dear Botany,
With the leading cause of bankruptcies in America related to health care costs and 528,000 Nevadans without health care coverage, we knew from the beginning that the final health insurance reform legislation had to be strong enough to cut costs, strengthen Medicare, and ensure quality, affordable care for all Americans.
We knew it had to stabilize insurance for everyone while lowering the cost of premiums for consumers and the national deficit for taxpayers.
And we had to stop insurance companies from denying health care to the sick.
The bill we proposed a few weeks ago does every one of these things - and the revisions being read right now on the Senate floor are even stronger.
The newest version will:
Reign in costs even further Make care more affordable by expanding small business tax credits; Demand even greater accountability from insurance companies; Create more choice and competition for consumers. All of these things will help lower costs for Americans, and will finally level the playing field between Nevada families and insurance companies.
There are some that believe the bill doesn't go far enough and suggest it should be stopped.
While I, too, strongly prefer a public option, I also know that this bill will make it easier for every American to afford to live a healthy life. It will ease the suffering of millions and ensure fewer die from diseases we know how to treat.
Be assured that this by no means is the end of health insurance reform, but only the beginning - and if we don't get started now, we might never have this chance again. This bill is more than worthy of support from Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike.
However, there are also those that believe this bill goes too far, and that it should be stopped. To them I say: the status quo is not acceptable.
Our broken system cannot and will not continue.
And I am eager for when President Obama signs this bill into law and we officially end the era in which insurance companies win only when patients lose.
All Senate Democrats stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Obama and the American people who know that inaction is not an option.
This bill is about providing quality affordable care, protecting consumers' rights, strengthening our economy, and making the hard choices necessary to do what is right.
Throughout the many twists and turns of this process - while many have tried to knock us off course - we have stayed true to these principles. And that is why we will succeed.
Sincerely,
Harry
|