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By Senator Debbie Stabenow In Michigan we know that skyrocketing health insurance costs are costing us jobs. For the majority of families in Michigan who have coverage, they are seeing costs go up and up. A majority of people without insurance are working in small businesses that can’t find or afford health insurance. People who have lost their jobs are struggling to afford coverage on their own – or just giving up on it entirely and going without insurance. We cannot continue to tolerate this situation in the wealthiest country in the world. Someone dies every 12 minutes because they do not have quality health care. The cost of doing nothing is too high. That’s why we are changing the focus of health care in this country. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have worked with my colleagues to author legislation, America’s Healthy Future Act, which will bring security and stability to you and your family. First, this legislation stops “business as usual” for insurance companies. It will stop insurance companies from denying you coverage or hiking up your rates for pre-existing conditions. It will prevent insurance companies from charging different premium rates based on gender, health status, family history, or occupation. Insurance companies will also no longer to be able to drop you just because you got sick. Second, America’s Healthy Future Act will strengthen and protect Medicare. If you are a senior or have a disability, this legislation strengthens and protects your Medicare coverage, including access to your own doctor. This bill will lower the costs of prescription drugs if you are a Medicare Part D participant. It will eliminate all out-of-pocket costs for recommended preventive care and screenings for health risks like diabetes and cancer. It will also strengthen the Medicare Trust Fund to ensure sustainability for years to come. Third, this bill makes health insurance more affordable and creates a “safety net” so if you lose your job, your family won’t lose their health care. If your employer drops coverage, this bill provides quality, affordable choices that currently do not exist. These choices will be readily available to families shopping for insurance on their own and each state will be able to negotiate with health insurers to provide a basic health plan that is affordable. I was pleased to help lead the effort in the Finance Committee, to create tax credits for low and middle-class families to help pay for health insurance. Small businesses will also be able to purchase insurance through a larger group insurance pool called a “health exchange” so they can benefit from lower rates. Nearly three-quarters of small businesses that do not offer benefits cite high costs as the reason. I also led the effort to make insurance affordable for early retirees. This provision will help ensure if you are an early retiree, your employer will be reimbursed for catastrophic claims and preventative treatments. Finally, it is important to emphasize that if you have insurance now, you can keep it. However, this bill will help lower your health care costs as well. That’s because everyone is paying a hidden tax of more than $1000 dollars a year through premiums to pay for the medical care of the uninsured. As more individuals are able to afford health insurance the costs of private insurance plans will come down. Now is the time to stop skyrocketing healthcare costs and truly make quality health care a right, not a privilege in America. This morning, 14,000 Americans woke up with health insurance, but will go to bed tonight without it. We can do better for our families, in the greatest country in the world.
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