Republican Weekly Address: Lower Health Care Costs
The Republican Weekly Address was delivered by Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois. He talked about ways to lower health care costs without raising taxes.
"When I returned home from active duty in Afghanistan, I dedicated my congressional service to helping families with health care. We can lower health care costs and provide coverage for Americans who lack insurance by enacting key reforms that already help thousands of families in many states. First, we could start lowering costs by reining in lawsuits in America. We are the most litigious country on earth. Lawsuit reforms can save billions in healthcare costs alone. In New Jersey, without lawsuit reform, it costs over $5,500 per patient to provide insurance.In California, with some of the strongest lawsuit reforms, insurance costs half as much as it does in New Jersey. Congress should enhance the effective reforms of many states by enacting lawsuit reforms for our entire country. Second, Congress should grant the right to each American to buy coverage from any state in the union – especially if you find a plan that has a lower cost or is more flexible for your family or your small business. Third, we should give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower healthcare costs. I also offered an amendment – the Medical Rights Act – standing for the principle that Congress shall make no law interfering with the decisions you make with your doctor. Unfortunately, all of these common sense Republican reforms were rejected by Speaker Pelosi. The Pelosi health care bill has no significant lawsuit reforms and does not guarantee your medical rights from government waiting lines or restrictions. In the teeth of the Great Recession, the Pelosi bill would impose ten new taxes on the American economy. The top combined tax rate for my state of Illinois would be four percentage points higher than France. The Democrat bill levies new taxes on health insurance, income and even pace makers. The bill also cuts health care for seniors – my parents and many of yours – with $500 billion in cuts for Medicare doctors, hospitals and advantage patients. The bill even cuts Medicare for skilled nursing, wheelchairs and hospices. In sum, the Pelosi bill opens a new trillion-dollar entitlement just as our national debt tops $12 trillion. Ignoring the future needs of Social Security and Medicare, the bill creates a new massive spending program, supported by heavy taxes and cuts to senior health care. We need to back the common sense health care reforms I outlined and reject a government takeover of our family health care. This is Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois. Thank you for listening. God Bless you and God Bless America."
