Health Care Reform

Floor Speech

Madam Speaker, now is the time to address our health care crisis. Today, too many families are suffering. Too many cannot afford their medication, lack of access to essential care, or can't get coverage because of a preexisting condition. This bill eliminates these tragic situations.

For those who oppose this bill, you will have to return to your districts and explain why you didn't close the doughnut hole for seniors; expand Medicaid funding; reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare; and increase physician reimbursements. You will have to explain why you voted against investing in community health and prohibiting annual and lifetime limits on plans.

In my district alone in Indianapolis, this bill will extend coverage to nearly 75,000 uninsured residents and will decrease costs for over 200,000 families. And it will provide tax incentives to over 15,500 small businesses to help them provide coverage for their employees.

Passing this bill is the right thing to do.

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