DNC Vice Chair Wasserman Schultz Calls GOP Plan “Health Insurance Company Protection Act,” Calls Republican Online Town Hall a Media Stunt, Desperate Attempt to Distract From Bill That Benefits Insurance Companies and Fails to Make a Dent in the Un
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 5, 2009
Contact: DNC Press, 202-863-8148
DNC Vice Chair Wasserman Schultz Calls GOP Plan “Health Insurance Company Protection Act,”
Calls Republican Online Town Hall a Media Stunt,
Desperate Attempt to Distract From Bill That Benefits Insurance Companies
and Fails to Make a Dent in the Uninsured
Washington- DNC Vice Chair and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) today issued the following statement in advance of House Republicans’ online health care town hall where they plan to discuss their health reform proposal which does more to help insurance companies than it does to help the American people. The bill would not curb unfair insurance industry practices like denying people coverage because of a pre-existing condition. In fact, the House Republican bill would put families at risk by giving insurance companies more power to discriminate against patients while accumulating record profits. And, according to the Congressional Budget Office the Republican bill would only cover three million of the tens of millions who are currently uninsured.
“While Congressional Democrats are preparing to take an historic vote on health reform legislation this weekend, House Republicans are busy organizing a last minute media stunt, where they intend to do nothing but attack and misrepresent the Democrats’ health reform legislation in a desperate attempt to boost their own poor excuse for a bill.
“I’ve seen the Republicans plan, and I can explain it in about 12 seconds: It would barely make a dent in reducing the millions of uninsured Americans, and instead of helping American families and businesses, it would gut consumer protections and give more goodies to the insurance lobby. It won’t stop insurance companies from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition and it doesn’t provide people help to buy insurance on the private market.
“The Republicans’ ‘Health Insurance Company Protection Act’ is a boon to the insurance companies and their executives. That’s not the reform the American people want and need.
“Instead of participating in this 12-hour online charade and continuing their fight to maintain the status quo, I hope House Republicans will join Democrats in Congress and President Obama to pass historic reform legislation."
