WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Glenn `GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, today voted “No” on the Pelosi takeover of health care in this Nation. The bill passed by the narrowest of margins. A vote of 218 was needed to win and the final tally was 220 to 215. There were 39 Democrats who also voted “no” and 1 Republican voted “yes.”
As I read through the measure, which I promised to do—all 2000+ pages of it, I became increasingly disturbed by the level of control this measure will put in the hands of a new federal Health Choices Commissioner,” said Thompson. “I came to Washington to help address some of our health care problems and I believe that any changes should include better access, affordability, quality and patient choice. As a health care professional for almost 30 years, as I read through this bill, my conclusion was that the Pelosi bill actually made each of those things worse instead of better.”
“This bill will cost every American and I question whether it will ever lower costs. It costs $1.3 trillion and imposes taxes on small businesses and individuals. It taxes medical equipment like wheelchairs, it cuts Medicare by some $500 billion and shifts many new people onto Medicaid rolls at a huge cost to state budgets,” Thompson explained.
“There is a section of the bill that addresses people most at-risk because they have pre-existing conditions. Section 101 of the bill establishes a $5 billion subsidy to help those who have a hard time qualifying for insurance. But when you read further in the bill you find out that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has the right to increase premiums on these people, decrease benefits and create waiting lists if there isn’t enough money to cover everything. That sounds like rationing to me,” said Thompson.
Another subject in the bill that doesn’t work is SCHIP the State Children’s Health Insurance Program that was modeled after Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program. The SCHIP measure passed the Congress and was signed into law in February by President Obama. Thompson voted for the measure.
The Pelosi bill wipes out the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The change in the bill will jeopardize coverage and increase costs for scores of Pennsylvania’s children. Families who rely on Pennsylvania’s CHIP will face higher costs when their children are forced into the plans offered through the “Exchange” in the Pelosi measure. Here is an example. For children living in families earning 175 percent of the federal poverty level, the median CHIP covers 100 percent of medical expenses for those participating. Under the Pelosi bill, that family will pay nearly $400. For children in families earning 225 percent of the federal poverty level, the median CHIP covers 98 percent of medical expenses, exposing children to only 2 percent of costs. Comparable exchange plans would expose families to 5 percent to 35 percent of out-of-pocket costs. “What I don’t understand is the Democrat leadership under Nancy Pelosi pushed SCHIP reauthorization in January. Yet with this vote the House is going to scrap the program to the detriment of Pennsylvania’s most needy children. How is this better than the existing program?” asked Thompson.
“The measure I supported would have addressed medical liability tort reform, allowed small businesses that it would not kill jobs while it made healthcare more affordable,” Thompson said. “The Congressional Budget Office looked at the bill I supported and wrote that it will lower premiums by up to 10 percent and reduce the deficit by $68 billion over 10 years without imposing tax increases on families and small businesses. But the majority voted it down by a vote of 258 to 176.”
The amendment that would prevent federal funds from being used to pay for abortions passed by a vote of 240 to 194.
