Statement on Healthcare from Gabrielle Gifford's office
08/14/2009
- The bill is being substantially edited in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. She looks forward to having a final draft to analyze. She definitely supports reforming health care, reducing the long term costs, and ending unfair practices like denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
- Although, she is not on one of the committees responsible for writing the bill, she is carefully analyzing the legislation for its impacts on employees, employers, providers, hospitals and taxpayers.
- She believes the goal is not to meet a deadline but to get this legislation right.
- She wants a plan we can afford which does not add to national deficit.
- She believes there are many opportunities to control the cost of healthcare and find savings within the current system. All options must be explored.
- She wants to be sure small businesses are not overly burdened with the plan.
- She supports a public insurance option. She is closely looking at the plan to ensure it is competitive in cost and service with private insurers.
- She is pleased that none of the bill drafts force people to enroll in a new program. If you like what you have, you should be able to keep it.
- She wants to ensure that there are mechanisms to get more primary care physicians and specialists in rural areas to improve access to care.
- She believes there needs to be further work on fixing the Medicare reimbursement rates for rural areas.
