Enzi to Daschle: Let's Work Together to Make Access to Affordable Health Care a Reality for All Americans

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said he is“ready to work with the Obama Administration to make access to affordable health care areality for all Americans.”

“I want to work with you and President-elect Obama to help every American gethigh quality, affordable health insurance,” Enzi said before a confirmation hearing forformer Senator Tom Daschle, nominee to head the Department of Health and HumanServices. “We can work together to make a positive difference in Americans’ lives. Byfinding areas of agreement and focusing on solutions, I’m confident that meaningfulhealth care reform is within our grasp.”

Enzi said he hopes that Republicans and Democrats can work together to build onshared commitments to reduce the number of uninsured, contain costs, improve quality,and make health care more accessible for everyone. However, Enzi warned against expanding insurance coverage through moregovernment-run bureaucracies like Medicaid.

“Forcing private plans to compete with a public program like Medicaid, with itsprice controls and ability to shift costs to private payers, will inevitably doom truecompetition and could ultimately lead to a single payer, government run health careprogram. Any new insurance coverage must be delivered through private health insuranceplans,” Enzi said.

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