Enzi Statement on Reid Health Care Bill

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, made the followingstatement on the health care bill released yesterday by Senate Majority Leader HarryReid:

“We need health care reform, but it has to be done the right way. We have tobring down costs so that everyone can have access to the quality, affordable care theyneed. I’m focused on an alternative, step-by-step approach to reduce health carecosts, preserve the rights of patients to see the doctors of their choice, protectMedicare coverage for seniors, eliminate discrimination based on pre-existingconditions, and ensure that people can take their insurance with them from job-to-job.

“The Reid bill would drive up health care costs for most families, increase taxeson workers and small businesses, and cut Medicare benefits for seniors. This billwould leave 24 million people without insurance coverage and force millions more tolose the insurance they already have. Want more taxes? How about Medicare cuts?This has them, to the tune of about a half trillion dollars each. The total price tag - $2.5trillion. We need to do better than this and I believe we can.

“Like the Pelosi bill, the Reid bill is government-centered, not patient-centered.It’s chock-full of new taxes and higher health care costs that would threaten jobs,weaken our economy, punish families and small businesses trying to make ends meet,and stick our children and grandchildren with the bill.”

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