Iowa leaders respond to presidential address on health care reform

CSPAN.COM

Congressman Leonard Boswell and Senator Chuck Grassley respond to the President's address to Congress.

Congressman Leonard Boswell released this statement following tonight’s joint address to the U.S. Congress on health care:
 
“President Obama’s address tonight underscores the urgency of the situation at-hand. Party and politics do not have a place in the health care discussion because health care reform is first and foremost about people. The President has issued a call to action. It is time for us as lawmakers to produce a final health care bill that will provide stable costs, stable quality, and stable coverage.”
 
“In my opinion, a public option that is offered in a health care exchange (patterned off the current federal government employee plan) is the best way to achieve true competition in the insurance market and get more people insured. However, it must be structured so that all providers are paid fairly and proportionately to the quality of service they offer. Iowa doctors and hospitals cannot afford to continue to be paid less than the rest of the country.”
 
“In the coming weeks, I will work alongside my colleagues to produce a robust health care bill that has real solutions. The status quo is indefensible. We must reform the health care system to control rising costs, increase quality and value, and improve access to coverage and care.”

Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Committee on Finance, issued this comment about the President’s address to a Joint Session of Congress regarding health care reform.
 
“There’s support across the political spectrum for initiatives to make health insurance more affordable and accessible, and we know that legislation has to slow the rate of growth in health care costs, or the situation will get worse instead of better.  The speech could have been pivotal for bipartisanship if it had been clear-cut in ruling out the prospect of a new government-run plan.  By leaving it up to Congress, where key leaders in both the House and Senate support a government-run plan and control the ultimate outcome, the President passed up a big opportunity.”