Healthcare

Most of us in East Alabama would agree that aspects of our current healthcare system are broken and need to be fixed. The number of uninsured is rising in our country – currently estimated at 45 million, or more than 15% of the population. In this tough economic environment, even families with health insurance can quickly find themselves without coverage as businesses close and factories scale back their hours and workforce.

It is vital as Congress moves forward with healthcare reform, the discussions center on giving folks options to affordable and quality care while keeping doctors and families in charge of health related decisions. Currently there are already several different proposals being offered from both sides of the aisle. My hope is that Congress will take the time to thoroughly and fairly debate all of the options and produce a truly bipartisan bill incorporating all concerns. In doing so, I hope Congress will abandon the idea of a government run, single payer system in favor of one offering options folks can choose to fit the needs of their family and situation, regardless of their condition. I hope Congress will develop a way to control costs by creating a system focusing on preventative care, to help prevent disease and sickness and encourage healthy choices, is more transparent, and reduces the likelihood of frivolous lawsuits that drive up costs for everyone.

I am hopeful that Congress will focus its efforts on fixing the parts of our healthcare system that we all agree are broken. The United States has some of the best healthcare in the world, and while far too expensive in most cases, Congress should act to make this healthcare more affordable and accessible to all. As Congress moves forward in this debate, I plan to monitor it closely and continue advocating on your behalf.

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