Advertisement


U.S. Rep. Latham: Condemns proposed government takeover of Americans' health care
7/20/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Fred Love 202-225-5476 fred.love@mail.house.gov

CALLS FOR RESPONSIBLE HEALTH CARE REFORM

WASHINGTON, DC – Iowa Congressman Tom Latham on Friday denounced the Washington takeover of health care proposed by House Democrats earlier this week and called instead for a responsible approach to health care reform efforts that expands access to quality health coverage for Americans without breaking the federal budget.

On Thursday, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, reported to Congress the troubling finding that the current health care proposal from House Democrats would not rein in the spiraling costs of government health programs, as promised by Democratic leadership in Congress, but rather would increase costs.

Elmendorf’s devastating analysis of the House Democrats’ health care overhaul proposal topples the assertion made by the bill’s backers that the legislation could curb massive increases in federal spending on health care.

“Quality health care ought to be available and affordable for every American, but the ideas proposed by House Democrats can lead only to a massive expansion of government control that will cost the taxpayers dearly,” Congressman Latham said. “On the other hand, I’ve proposed and have worked for legislation that puts patients and their health first without forcing small businesses and families to pay the costs of health care for the entire country. My legislation is based on the guiding principles of competition, choice, ownership and individual control – some of the most crucial principles that define our country. Health care reform will touch the lives of every single American, and we can’t afford a policy based on a partisan ideology that silences the voices of the middle class.”

Congressman Latham noted his objections to a range of provisions in the Democratic proposal and has introduced his own common-sense health care legislation in the past two Congresses as a starting point to comprehensive health care reform that provides long-term solutions.

The Democratic plan would create a government-run insurance option to compete with private insurers, a proposal that health care experts predict will force millions of Americans who are currently happy with their private insurance into the public option. The plan also would impose an additional payroll tax of up to 8 percent on small businesses that don’t provide coverage for their employees.

Congressman Latham’s plan, titled the “Health Care Security for All Americans Act of 2009,” honors patients’ freedom to choose their doctors and contains no provision to empower government bureaucrats to make personal medical decisions for citizens. His legislation also recognizes that small businesses form the backbone of the economy. Latham’s bill would allow small businesses to pool together across state lines to negotiate with private insurance companies for lower health insurance premiums.

“The evidence is piling up against the massive and misguided attempt at reform proposed by House Democrats,” Congressman Latham said. “This bill would force Americans to become reliant on the federal government for their health care and put Washington bureaucrats between you and your doctor to ration or even deny treatments without your say. I’ve worked for fiscally responsible legislation that will expand the availability of affordable health insurance while protecting America's workers and small businesses from an absolute and costly government takeover of health care.”

-30-


Printer-friendly version      Send this article to a friend