Rep. Delgado Hosts First Meeting of Health Care Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-New York, issued the following news release:

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- The 19th Congressional District Health Care Advisory Committee includes over 30 patients, providers, and health care advocates from every county in the district

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Today, Rep. Antonio Delgado met with members of his Health Care Advisory Committee in Cairo, New York to discuss health care needs within the district, ways to address skyrocketing health care costs and health care legislation currently before the House.

"Hearing directly from local health care advocates, patients, hospital administrators and medical professionals allows us to discuss ways to truly make a difference when it comes to addressing rising health care costs and accessibility, especially in our more rural areas," said Rep. Delgado. "Ensuring Upstate New Yorkers can afford quality coverage has been a top priority for me in Congress. That's why I have supported legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs and introduced the Medicare-X Choice Act, which would create a public option and drive down health care costs by introducing competition. I am very grateful to the members of the committee who joined us today in Greene County and shared their insights and expertise."

Today was the first meeting of the Health Care Advisory Committee. This is the fourth in-district advisory committee formed by Rep. Delgado. He has also formed local advisory committees on issues related to Veterans, small business, and agriculture.

Rep. Delgado has led the House introduction of the Medicare-X Choice Act, public option legislation that would combine Medicare physician networks and reimbursement rates with Affordable Care Act coverage standards to create a new, public health insurance option available to all Americans. Delgado has also joined his colleagues in voting to pass two bipartisan bills to reduce the price of prescription drugs by removing barriers to generic versions of brand-name drugs coming to market, H.R 1503 and H.R. 1520.