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| 7/17/2009 12:00:00 AM |
Gill Stevens |
| (202) 225-3515 |
| Biggert Works to Fix “Big Government” Health Care Bill: Promotes Commonsense Reforms to Preserve Patient Choice |
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Washington, DC – A key House committee today voted on three amendments offered by U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th). All three were made in an effort to improve the health care bill introduced by House Democrats on Wednesday.
“Only two days ago, I received this health care bill – more than one thousand pages long, and costing taxpayers more than one trillion dollars,” said Biggert, a senior member of the House Education & Labor Committee. “Within those thousand pages, there are a number of provisions that will cause individuals to lose the health insurance they have, create waitlists for needed health care procedures, and do nothing to reduce the cost of medical care for American families and businesses.”
To finance the bill, House Democrats have proposed taxes on small businesses as well as taxes on individuals who do not purchase health care. It also creates at least thirty-one new federal programs, commissions, and agencies.
“In a marathon markup that lasted until 6AM this morning, I offered three amendments as part of an effort to improve this bill by preserving doctor-patient relationships and ensuring that anyone who likes the health care they have right now to keep that health care, rather than get forced into a government-run plan,” said Biggert. “The majority accepted only one of these amendments and rejected another; they have promised to talk about the third amendment with me at a later date.”
Biggert offered three amendments:
• Biggert offered an amendment that would ensure that Americans who like their current employer-provided coverage can keep it. The amendment would shield such coverage from the costly and complex new mandates that would be imposed under the Democrats’ legislation. It was rejected by the Committee.
• A second amendment offered by Biggert ensures that certain forms of spiritual care currently defined as “medical care” under the Internal Revenue Code will continue to be defined as such under this bill. It was accepted by the Committee on a voice vote.
• Her third amendment would have suspended certain provisions of the bill if those provisions resulted in increased waiting periods for common medical procedures. Democrats on the Committee have promised that they will work with Biggert and other Republicans to do a study on waiting periods.
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