Click here to read a full transcript of Majority Leader Hoyer's Pen and Pad briefing today.
Some highlights:
On Republicans’ Lack of an Adequate Health Care Plan
“The balance of their bill, as far as we are concerned, does little to provide security and stability for all Americans. It doesn't provide for insurance availability for all Americans, does little to expand access to coverage or address the $1,000 to $1,100 extra that every American is paying for people who do not have coverage, and therefore adds to the uncompensated care in hospitals. They continue to allow insurance companies to deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. They fail to lower costs or provide affordable health care options for low and middle income families. There is no assistance to families to get health care, all of which, as you know, are included in our bill.”
On How Democrats’ Health Reform Benefits Americans
“We… have tough insurance reforms in the bill so that not only will preexisting conditions be precluded as stopping people from getting insurance, but also we have caps on out of pocket expenses… for individuals and for families so we don't drive families into bankruptcy as a result of health care costs.”
On the Credit Card Bill and Protecting Consumers
“[The Credit Card bill] moves up the implementation date so we don't have… credit card companies, gaming the system before the bill goes into effect. It bans rate hikes on existing balances and ends the practice of double cycle billing, all of which we think are very important reforms. Since that bill was signed into law, a report from Pew says that on average, 90 percent of balances have seen an average of 20 percent rate increase, which is why it is so important for us to move quickly.”
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