Health Care Forum; Myths and Facts of Health Care Reform - August 18, 2009
August 18, 2009
Dear Friend,
Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
Updated Online Health Care Forum
The Myths and Facts of the Health Care Reform Debate
Updated online health care forum
Last week, I launched an updated and more comprehensive Online Health Care Forum on my official Congressional website, which provides extensive information about the America's Affordable Health Choices Act and how it will help fix our broken health-care system. Whether you are looking for data on the skyrocketing costs of health care, the complete text of the current health reform bill in the House or information on what reform means for you and your family, this forum is your one-stop-shop for facts and figures on this critical issue.
My new forum contains three primary sections:
This page contains a wide variety of useful information, including the full text of H.R. 3200, plain-English explanations of some of its most important provisions, Frequently Asked Questions, and a breakdown of how it will be paid for.
This page highlights facts about the America's Affordable Health Choices Act by directly addressing the misinformation and distortions being pushed by anti-reform opponents.
As you know, the best input I can receive comes from my constituents in the 7th Congressional District. That is why I set up this page, which compiles stories and views about our current health care system so that I and other local residents can better understand what average Hoosiers hope to see in any health care reform legislation. I encourage you to send me written testimonials about your experiences in our health care system by emailing your story to in07healthcare@mail.house.gov.
These pages will be continually updated and expanded to ensure that local residents have access to the up-to-date information they need to stay well informed about the ongoing debate in Congress.
THE MYTHS AND FACTS OF THE HEALTH CARE REFORM DEBATE
Over the last several months, the debate over health care reform has elicited strong opinions from Americans of all backgrounds and political persuasions. Unfortunately, while productive debate remains widespread, significant effort is being made by reform opponents to spread false and untruthful information about legislation being considered in the House.
In order to help clear up many of the ongoing misconceptions about health care reform I have highlighted a few common myths and the facts that address these inaccuracies.
MYTH: Health reform means bureaucrats will ration health care.
FACT:The House proposal will expand and improve the availability of quality health care for all Americans, not ration it. Under this proposal, doctors, nurses and patients will make medical decisions, not big insurance companies or the government. Our current system leaves patients at the mercy of big insurance companies that make decisions to protect profits, not patients.
MYTH: Health reform means raising taxes, or making coverage more expensive.
FACT:Under the status quo, middle-class families pay an enormous "hidden tax" of nearly $1,100 per year to provide care for the uninsured and underinsured. The House proposal will end this tax by containing overall costs and expanding access to affordable care for all Americans. Additionally, the House proposal invests in reforms to contain the costs of health insurance overburdening businesses, families and the federal deficit.
MYTH: Health reform means a board of bureaucrats will be making life-and-death decisions about your medical care.
FACT:Under the House proposal, decisions about care are made between doctors, patients and their families—not the government. In fact, the bill establishes new regulations that will increase access to medical care—not decrease it. Under the House plan, insurance companies will no longer be able to engage in discriminatory practices that enable them to refuse to sell or renew policies due to an individual's health status. In addition, they can no longer exclude coverage of treatments for pre-existing health conditions, and it would limit the ability of insurance companies to charge higher rates due to health status, gender, or other factors. So this bill takes the decisions now being made by insurers and puts them in the hands of patients.
For more Myths vs. Facts, click here.
Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I value your views and your input which help me to better represent the people of Indiana's 7th District in Congress.