Specter on Health Care Reform
Washington, D.C. – Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the pressing need for health care reform.
“We need to agree on a balanced, common sense solution that reins in costs, protects the personal doctor- patient relationship and shifts our focus to initiatives in preventive medicine and research,” Specter said.
Senator Specter, who recently participated in the White House Forum on Health Care Reform, pledged to work with his colleagues to pass legislation to provide all Americans access to quality, affordable health insurance, including the 47 million Americans who are currently uninsured.
“The effort to bring about health reform can and should be a bipartisan effort,” stated Specter. “I’m prepared, as I’ve said before, to put my shoulder to the wheel to try to get the job done.”
Senator Specter is a cosponsor of the Wyden-Bennett Healthy Americans Act which he believes provides a strong starting point in the health care discussion. The bipartisan legislation mirrors many of the ideas put forward by President Obama in that it guarantees coverage for all Americans, allows those who are happy with their current health care coverage to keep it and does not burden middle-income Americans with new taxes on their health benefits.
In the speech, Senator Specter emphasized that he does not support reforms that would place a massive bureaucracy between the patient and the doctor. He outlined several potential cost-saving measures, including investing in the National Institutes of Health, examining the use of advanced directives, and prosecuting Medicare fraud.
A video excerpt of the floor speech is HERE.
Specter's remarks, as prepared for delivery, are HERE PDF
“We need to agree on a balanced, common sense solution that reins in costs, protects the personal doctor- patient relationship and shifts our focus to initiatives in preventive medicine and research,” Specter said.
Senator Specter, who recently participated in the White House Forum on Health Care Reform, pledged to work with his colleagues to pass legislation to provide all Americans access to quality, affordable health insurance, including the 47 million Americans who are currently uninsured.
“The effort to bring about health reform can and should be a bipartisan effort,” stated Specter. “I’m prepared, as I’ve said before, to put my shoulder to the wheel to try to get the job done.”
Senator Specter is a cosponsor of the Wyden-Bennett Healthy Americans Act which he believes provides a strong starting point in the health care discussion. The bipartisan legislation mirrors many of the ideas put forward by President Obama in that it guarantees coverage for all Americans, allows those who are happy with their current health care coverage to keep it and does not burden middle-income Americans with new taxes on their health benefits.
In the speech, Senator Specter emphasized that he does not support reforms that would place a massive bureaucracy between the patient and the doctor. He outlined several potential cost-saving measures, including investing in the National Institutes of Health, examining the use of advanced directives, and prosecuting Medicare fraud.
A video excerpt of the floor speech is HERE.
Specter's remarks, as prepared for delivery, are HERE PDF
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