Published: November 13, 2009 12:19 am      

LETTER: Rep. Hill explains health care vote

I have consistently reiterated the need for, and my support of, health care reform throughout my congressional tenure. And, our great nation has been debating how to responsibly reform our health care system for decades.

On Saturday, we took a definitive step forward in advancing this crucial cause by passing the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

I understand the emotion attached to this issue. It is a deeply personal matter, and every one of us has our own stories to tell. I can cite numerous examples of 9th District residents who work so hard every day but are not able to afford health insurance. Likewise, I can relay stories of Southern Indiana small business owners who want to provide coverage for their employees and cannot afford to, or who provide coverage but cannot sustain the rate at which the premiums are so rapidly increasing. And, I could share devastating stories of constituents who diligently maintained their health insurance, only to have it rescinded once they fell ill.

This bill addresses each and every one of the situations outlined above. H.R. 3962 will allow the 52,000 uninsured Southern Indiana residents to secure effective and affordable health care. H.R. 3962 will allow 16,100 small businesses in Southern Indiana to obtain affordable health care coverage for their employees, and will provide tax credits to 14,600 of our small business to help reduce health insurance costs for a similarly significant number. And, H.R. 3962 will allow the 10,900 9th District residents who have pre-existing medical conditions to not only secure health coverage, but feel reassured by how the bill caps annual out-of-pocket costs at $5,000 for singles and $10,000 for families and eliminates lifetime limits on insurance coverage.

This bill also makes difficult fiscal choices, which will ensure that future generations are not footing the bill for health care reform. Not only has the Congressional Budget Office scored this bill as deficit neutral, but the agency’s analysis finds that it will actually reduce the deficit. The nonpartisan organization reports that the bill will reduce the deficit by $109 billion between 2010 and 2019, and will also likely reduce deficits in the decade following 2019 by up to one-quarter of one percent of Gross Domestic Product.

I sincerely appreciate all of the comments and questions my office has received over the past few months on this issue. This bill is very much a work in progress, and as such, I would encourage you to stay informed and keep in touch.