Burgess: This Is Simply The Wrong Kind Of Reform

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Chair of the Congressional Health Care Caucus, released the following statement today after House Democrat leaders unveiled their latest health care reform bill:

“Americans from all walks of life have a story to tell about the difficulties a tough medical diagnoses has brought on, or their struggles with paying medical bills. I do not deny that reforms are needed, but Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have simply put forth the wrong kind of reform.

“You don’t make insurance more affordable by making it more expensive. Families will not benefit from higher taxes. Struggling small businesses will find it more difficult to afford employer-sponsored health insurance for their employees with new federal mandates and costly penalties for non-compliance. Seniors who have paid into the Medicare system for decades will see their benefits decrease. This is not health care reform.

“Despite the monstrous size of the bill, the Democrats’ health care plan continues to leave out huge aspects of health care reform. Medicare doctors are facing a 20 percent cut in payments, yet nothing in today’s announced plan addresses this issue. Medical liability reform, which has greatly improved access to health care and lowered costs in Texas, is completely missing.

“Furthermore, the process leading up to today in the House of Representatives has been the most secretive and opaque since I was elected to Congress in 2002. House Republicans, including the thirteen of us who are medical professionals, were denied the opportunity to participate in the legislative process from the beginning, despite our continued efforts to provide real ideas for meaningful reform based on our years of experience. Democrats have completely ignored the millions of Americans who voiced their strong opposition to a government takeover of America’s health care system by pushing ahead with a ‘public option’ and a drastic expansion of Medicaid.

“I will continue my efforts to help enact pro-patient reforms to America’s health care system that will increase choice and access to health insurance and health care, lower costs, encourage patient involvement, and ensure that the world’s best health care system remains intact. House Republicans, including myself, have introduced no fewer than 100 bills that would accomplish these goals, fixing what is broken in our health care system without allowing the federal government to completely take over. I look forward to reading all 1,990 pages of this bill over the next few days and doing the work North Texans sent me to Washington to do. I will continue to fight on behalf of responsible health care solutions Americans support.” – The Office of Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D.