Sen. Murray Leads Bipartisan Group of Senators in Calling for Vote on Murray-Alexander Health Care Bill
Led by Senator
Open enrollment started on
Key excerpts of
"We are now exactly one week into open enrollment, and it's been three weeks since Chairman Alexander and I put forward a bipartisan bill to stabilize our health care markets and lower patients' health care costs...there is no good reason for Republican leadership to wait another minute before bringing our bill up for a vote."
"Let's remember that when someone goes to sign up for health care coverage, they aren't doing it as a Republican or a Democrat--they're doing it as a parent, or a caregiver, or a business owner, who wants to stay healthy and financially secure. Here in
"If Republican leadership takes up our legislation now and passes it--families would see rebates this year and lower health care costs next year--because our bill is designed to ensure the benefit of greater certainty is passed on to patients and taxpayers, not hoarded by insurance companies...this legislation would send a critical message to patients and families that when
"So, right now--it's up to Republican leaders. They can choose to stay in their partisan corner and reject an opportunity to lower patients' health care costs in a bipartisan way--or they can do what people across the country want them to do--and put patients over politics."
"And I do want to note, M. President--that if Republican leaders hadn't gotten the message--voters made it perfectly clear last night that they reject the deeply harmful partisanship we've seen on health care. So it's well past time for Republican leaders to give up the ghost on Trumpcare, declare it dead, and work with
Full remarks by
Thank you, M. President.
First--I really appreciate my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their leadership on our legislation and for taking the time to speak today.
We are now exactly one week into open enrollment, and it's been three weeks since Chairman Alexander and I put forward a bipartisan bill to stabilize our health care markets and lower patients' health care costs.
So I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss what it means that so many people nationwide are signing up for coverage...
And why there is no good reason for Republican leadership to wait another minute before bringing our bill up for a vote.
M. President, it's still early, but what we're seeing so far is that millions of people across the country are going to healthcare.gov to shop for coverage.
Two hundred thousand signed up on the first day. That's more than double the amount from last year.
The vast majority will get tax credits to help cover their costs--and in fact, some who are struggling the most will find they can save even more this year because of how our current health care system absorbs cost increases.
But M. President, there is no question that premiums are going up--and that in many places, fewer coverage options are available--and not every consumer is protected.
As one woman, Melissa, told the
She said she doesn't qualify for subsidies, and given how much her premiums would increase, her insurance costs would have been more than her mortgage payments each month.
Melissa is one of the people paying the price for
M. President, it's unacceptable that patients and families are having to take on this burden.
Let's remember that when someone goes to sign up for health care coverage, they aren't doing it as a Republican or a Democrat--they're doing it as a parent, or a caregiver, or a business owner, who wants to stay healthy and financially secure.
Here in
That's why so many people are going online to shop for coverage--despite the President's insistence that health care in
Regardless of the fact that to make "implosion" a reality,
And caused premiums to increase by double digits on average.
Frankly, patients and families deserve much better.
M. President, as I've said before, the frustrating thing is that this all could have been avoided.
Way back in September, Chairman Alexander and I were on the verge of an agreement to stabilize health care markets and lower premiums for this coming year and 2019.
Our agreement would have provided multi-year certainty on the out-of-pocket cost reduction subsidies that
Had we been able to move faster, our legislation would have resulted in lower premiums right away for 2018.
But Republican leaders pressed the pause button on bipartisan negotiations so they could try one more time to jam partisan repeal through the
And we lost a lot of precious time. But M. President, our bill would still do a lot of good right now and over the next few years.
If Republican leadership takes up our legislation now and passes it--families would see rebates this year and lower health care costs next year.
Because our bill is designed to ensure the benefit of greater certainty is passed on to patients and taxpayers, not hoarded by insurance companies.
Our deal would also invest in open enrollment and outreach for 2019 to get more people covered.
It would allow states more flexibility to innovate as the Affordable Care Act always intended.
And, it would mark a critical step away from harmful partisanship on health care and toward working, under regular order, on solutions that make health care work better for the people we serve.
Finally, M. President, this legislation would send a critical message to patients and families that when
More than 200 groups representing doctors, hospitals, state officials, governors, and patients have endorsed our bill.
The nonpartisan
Twelve
We are continuing to build support and there is no question it would pass with a filibuster-proof majority if it was brought to the floor.
And--while the
So, right now--it's up to Republican leaders.
They can choose to stay in their partisan corner and reject an opportunity to lower patients' health care costs in a bipartisan way--or they can do what people across the country want them to do--and put patients over politics.
And I do want to note, M. President--that if Republican leaders hadn't gotten the message--voters made it perfectly clear last night that they reject the deeply harmful partisanship we've seen on health care.
So it's well past time for Republican leaders to give up the ghost on Trumpcare--declare it dead--and work with
Starting with our bipartisan bill to lower health care costs and stabilize markets--because if they don't they can be sure they'll be held accountable.
Thank you and I yield the floor.
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