November, 03 2009, 03:46pm EDT
Kucinich Continues Fight to Restore State Single Payer Amendment
Congressman
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement about the
House health care plan on the floor of the House of Representatives:
WASHINGTON
Congressman
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement about the
House health care plan on the floor of the House of Representatives:
"Even
though insurance companies make money not providing health care, the
so-called reform bill gives so much power and money to the insurance
companies that we are giving far too much for the few benefits which
the bill may confer.
though insurance companies make money not providing health care, the
so-called reform bill gives so much power and money to the insurance
companies that we are giving far too much for the few benefits which
the bill may confer.
"The insurance companies get at least another 26 million customers.
"They will receive at least an extra $50 billion in new revenue.
"They
will be able to raise premiums 25%, even though in each of the last
four consecutive years the industry has raised premiums by double
digits.
will be able to raise premiums 25%, even though in each of the last
four consecutive years the industry has raised premiums by double
digits.
"As
long as there are for-profit health insurance companies, there will be
no effective way to protect consumers against ever escalating premiums,
co pays and deductibles, unless the insurance companies know that
people at a state level will always have a choice to reject the
insurance companies and establish a single-payer not-for-profit system.
long as there are for-profit health insurance companies, there will be
no effective way to protect consumers against ever escalating premiums,
co pays and deductibles, unless the insurance companies know that
people at a state level will always have a choice to reject the
insurance companies and establish a single-payer not-for-profit system.
"That
is why the Kucinich Amendment must be put back in the health care bill,
not just to protect the rights of states to pursue single payer, but to
protect the rights of consumers to be free of the economic death grip
of the insurance companies."
is why the Kucinich Amendment must be put back in the health care bill,
not just to protect the rights of states to pursue single payer, but to
protect the rights of consumers to be free of the economic death grip
of the insurance companies."
Dennis Kucinich is an American politician. A U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013, he was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008.
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