Stupak votes to pass historic health care reform

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) voted Sunday evening, March 21, to pass H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This legislation is the most significant step ever taken toward providing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. H.R. 3590 passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 219 to 212. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law.

"Since I was first elected to Congress I have fought to provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans and I am proud to be able to vote for this historic legislation," Stupak said. "In my travels and town hall meetings around northern Michigan I have witnessed the struggles families and employers face under the current health care system. Americans have spent 98 years talking about reforming health care; today Congress has finally accomplished that goal."*

More than 31 million uninsured Americans will have access to affordable health care, including 44,000 uninsured residents in Michigan’s First Congressional District. An additional 364,000 residents in northern Michigan will receive improved health insurance coverage under the legislation.

For seniors, health care reform includes key improvements to Medicare. H.R. 3590 will immediately begin to close the Medicare prescription drug donut hole by providing a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010 and instituting a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs in the donut hole. The donut hole will be completely closed to ensure seniors pay less out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. The bill will also eliminate Medicare co-payments for annual physical exams and preventative screenings starting January 1, 2011.

H.R. 3590 includes critical reforms to the health insurance industry that Stupak has long fought for and highlighted through his hearings as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. These reforms include prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions, eliminating lifetime caps on benefits, and eliminating the practice of rescission, or cancelling insurance coverage when policyholders become seriously ill. These consumer protections go into effect immediately, along with a provision that will allow parents to keep their children on their health insurance policy until age 27.

Since health care reform legislation was first introduced in Congress last summer, Stupak has made clear that any legislation he supports must increase insurance
competitiveness and lower health care costs for consumers. H.R. 3590 accomplishes that goal. Beginning in 2014, health insurance exchanges will open up the marketplace for private health insurance policies for individuals and small businesses. These exchanges will put consumers in charge by offering a choice of insurance plans, establishing rules for offering and pricing insurance, and providing consumers with more information about all of the available health plans. The exchanges will also lay out the tax credits to help individuals afford coverage.

"Although this legislation is not perfect and does not do everything I believe is necessary to reform our health insurance industry, it is a tremendous step forward for northern Michigan residents and for our nation," Stupak said. "Skyrocketing health care costs are unsustainable for our families, our seniors, our businesses or our government. This legislation will protect consumers from unconscionable industry practices while helping to lower costs and make the health insurance industry more competitive."

Since last summer Stupak and other pro-life members of Congress insisted that health care reform maintain current law of no federal funding for abortion. Stupak and other pro-life members of Congress made clear that on its own, H.R. 3590 would implement a dramatic shift in federal policy that would allow the federal government to subsidize insurance policies with abortion coverage and recognize abortion as a benefit in a federal health plan. However, after intense negotiations with Stupak and other pro-life Democrats, President Obama announced he would sign an Executive Order reaffirming the Hyde amendment could not be circumvented and that no taxpayer dollars would be used to pay for health plans that cover abortion.

In addition, Stupak engaged in a colloquy on the House floor with Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman to further enter into the record Congress’ intent that the Hyde provisions of no public funding for abortion will apply to H.R. 3590.

"I have said from the start I would not vote for health care reform without adequate protections in place to make sure the current law of no federal funding for abortion is maintained," Stupak said. "The president’s Executive Order upholds the principle that federal funds should not be used to subsidize abortion coverage."

The president will sign the Executive Order following the signing of H.R. 3590.

"While there is still work to be done, this historic health care reform legislation marks significant progress toward making sure the cost of health care in America never results in our citizens having to file bankruptcy because of illness, disease or injury," Stupak said. "I look forward to the president signing this bill into law to provide 31 million Americans with access to affordable, quality health care."**

Editor's Notes:
* See Keweenaw Now's Jan. 9, 2010 article on Stupak's Town Hall meeting in Houghton.

**This press release, received Sunday evening, March 21, 2010, is courtesy Michelle Begnoche in Rep. Stupak's Washington, DC, office.