Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

"This issue has divided our country in a way that I have not seen in my many years. There are those who have distorted the facts on both sides and special interests have spent millions of dollars trying to scare the American people. I believe my job as your representative is to present the facts, listen to you and serve as your voice in our nation's capital. You deserve to always know where I stand on the issues and why. Above all, you should always hear the truth from me."
- U.S. Representative Mike Ross, March 21, 2010

On March 21, 2010, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or the Senate's health care reform bill, 219 to 212, and President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on March 23. Shortly thereafter, Congress passed and the President signed H.R. 4872, the Health Care & Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. These votes were among the most difficult votes I have ever cast in the House of Representatives because I absolutely believe we need health care reform. That's why I have worked since last summer trying to improve these bills. While we were successful in making some changes, others were not accepted. In the end, I simply could not support either of these bills and that is why I voted no.

This issue has divided our country in a way that I have not seen in my many years. There are those who have distorted the facts on both sides and special interests have spent millions of dollars trying to scare the American people. I believe my job as your representative is to present the facts, listen to you and serve as your voice in our nation's capital. You deserve to always know where I stand on the issues and why. Above all, you should always hear the truth from me.

There are parts of this bill that are good, including much-needed health insurance reforms and making health insurance affordable for the uninsured. On the other hand, many parts of this bill cause me great concern, like telling people they must buy health insurance or be fined, cutting Medicare by more than a half-trillion dollars, increasing taxes and forcing businesses to provide health insurance to their employees. I am also concerned how these new mandates will impact our small businesses as we recover from this economic recession and they attempt to put people back to work.

I also do not believe this legislation adequately included measures to stop health care cost from growing at nearly twice the rate of inflation. The current growth rate is unsustainable for working families and our government. Getting our fiscal house back in order is critical to our economic future. Therefore, one of my concerns throughout this entire debate has been the impact this legislation will have on future deficits. After careful review and thoughtful analysis, I am unconvinced this bill will adequately address the long-term trend of rising health care costs that burden our government and every Arkansas family.

Special interest groups on both sides of this issue have heavily pressured me to vote how they wanted. But, my job as your representative is to listen to you--not them. And I have done just that, hosting 34 town hall meetings and four telephone town hall meetings this year alone in each of the 29 counties I represent in the U.S. House of Representatives. An overwhelming majority of you told me that while you support health care reform, you do not believe this bill is right for Arkansas. You told me it is too big and too costly. And, I agree with you. That is why I voted against the Senate health care reform bill and the reconciliation package, just as I voted against the House health care reform bill last year. Had we been allowed to vote on the numerous provisions in this nearly 3,000 page bill separately, I could have supported many of them. Unfortunately, I never had that option.

I recognize there are some I represent who support this bill and I want them to know that I will continue to work to improve our nation's health care system. As your representative, I pledge to you that I will do all I can to build on the good aspects of this legislation and to improve upon those that cause many of us concern. I will continue working in a bipartisan manner in our nation's capital to pass common sense reforms that reflect Arkansas values.

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