June, 2009

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Here in America, families are struggling with the crushing costs of health care that threaten their financial stability, leave them exposed to higher premiums and deductibles and put them at risk of losing coverage as employers struggle to provide coverage.

Here in America, families are losing the very parts of their health care that they value most – their choice of doctors, hospitals, and insurance plans; their choice of treatments and the security and stability that comes from knowing that they are covered if anything goes wrong.

Here in America, people who should be focused on fighting for their lives are instead fighting insurance companies.

Here in America, families are telling their kids they can’t go out for football or baseball or soccer because if they get hurt, there is simply no way to pay the bills.

Here in America, twilight years are darkened by having to choose between seeing a doctor and buying groceries.

Here in America, too many people are limping and crawling into Medicare – like I watched my own parents do.

Here in America, too many people can’t get care when they need it, can’t pay for it when they do and aren’t given a say in some of the most important and personal choices in their lives.

Here in America, we can do better.

Now, some critics out there argue that now is not the time to tackle health care reform. Well to me, that’s shortsighted reasoning and tone-deaf governing.

Investing in our health care system is not a luxury – it’s absolutely critical to our future strength. There is a direct connection between our nation’s long-term prosperity and developing health care policies that stem the chronic bleeding in business and in our state and national budgets.

We must reduce costs and make health care more affordable.