President’s Health Care Outline Fails to Address Concerns of American People

Camp, Herger Call for Starting Over with Focus on Lowering Costs

Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Wally Herger (R-CA) issued the following statements following the White House’s posting of their outline of the latest version of a $1 trillion government takeover of health care:

Rep. Camp said, “The President told the American people we would see the details of his health care bill, but instead we are just seeing the tip of this iceberg that will sink our economy and wreck the health insurance millions of Americans have and like. This is not a serious attempt to address the concerns the American people have expressed about the Democrats’ bills and does not truly include important policy changes Republicans have been pushing to address them, like ending junk lawsuits that drive up health care costs. Even as the details are still being worked out by Democrats and special interests behind closed doors, it is clear this bill, like the Democrat bills that passed the House and Senate is another massive, government takeover of health care that will increase the cost of health insurance, explode the deficit, and slash Medicare benefits. There is still time to wipe the slate clean and start over on a set of common sense reforms that will lower health care costs. I hope the President and Democrats in Congress will agree to do so before Thursday’s summit. That is what the American people want and what Republicans have offered and will continue to work for.”

Rep. Herger added, “I’m disappointed that the President is continuing to ignore that the American people have fundamentally rejected this bill. His proposal is more of the same government intrusion and high taxes that have been the dominant themes of his health care plan since day one. By staying the course toward government-run health care, the President is demonstrating that the upcoming health care summit and his rhetoric about working with Republicans to find solutions is purely for show. It’s time to start over and allow the public to have a seat at the table.”