Blackburn Votes To Save Health Care From Government Takeover

Press Release

Blackburn Votes To Save Health Care From Government Takeover

Congressman Marsha Blackburn today voted against a Democrat sponsored health care bill that fails to check the rising cost of care and would lead to rationing under a government-controlled health care system. Her vote followed a lengthy session in which Republicans and Democrats worked to amend the proposal.

During that session, Democrats rejected an amendment that would extend the same kind of health care coverage that Members of Congress have to the American people, and refused to agree to statutory guarantees that Americans who like their health care coverage can keep it. The bill's supporters also mandated that private insurance companies cover elective abortions

Much of Blackburn's concerns over the bill come from her experience in Tennessee with a public option plan. As a state senator, Blackburn worked to find a way for the state to cover the costs of a public option health care plan that Tennessee's Democrat Governor later called "a disaster". Despite her repeated requests, the Administration was unable to assure her that the bill wouldn't repeat the mistakes of TennCare.

"Our current health care system has serious flaws in cost, coverage, and access. Those flaws require our urgent attention and correction. I have seen the tragic impact of a health care system that began as an ill conceived public option and resulted in higher costs and diminished care. I see the same mistakes that were made in Tennessee being repeated here. We have got to get health care fixed, but we have got to fix it the right way."

Representative Blackburn supports an alternative health care reform measure sponsored by Rep. John Shadegg that would use market forces to expand access and reduce cost.

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