Thousands Tune In To Clay's Tele-Town Hall On Healthcare Reform

Press Release

Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) MO-1 used the latest technology to interact with thousands of constituents recently to discuss the historic healthcare reform legislation that passed the House and Senate in December and is now moving towards reconciliation. Almost ten thousand callers joined Congressman Clay for the hour-long town hall meeting, conducted entirely by telephone. "This new technology is remarkable because it allows me to reach out to and connect with thousands of constituents at the same time, " said the Congressman. "For a critical issue like healthcare reform, that's essential."

Congressman Clay gave callers a brief overview of the differences between the House and Senate versions of the healthcare legislation, and he expressed the urgency of moving forward without delay. "In the 1st Congressional District 81,000 people have no health insurance, said Mr. Clay. "10, 000 of my constituents are barred from purchasing health insurance due to pre-existing conditions; nearly 9,000 of our seniors are forced to pay full drug costs due to the Medicare Part D doughnut hole.

And just last year there were 1,400 medical bankruptcies. Under the House bill, we would be able to cover about 50,000 uninsured people in my district. You will no longer be denied coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions. This bill will immediately cut the Medicare Part D donut hole in half, and eliminate it over the next five years.

The bill would also cap annual out-of-pocket expenses for individuals and families helping to ensure that no one will face the prospect of financial ruin due to high health care costs.

Additionally, for the first time in history Medicare will be allowed to negotiate bulk pricing for prescription drugs. The final bill that emerges from the conference committee will not be perfect, but it will be a giant step towards reforming our broken healthcare system."

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