Issued by the Perriello Office following the vote Saturday, November 7, 2009

Perriello Supports Health Care Legislation To Reduce Costs, Expand Coverage, and Preserve Patient Choice

Washington, DC –Today, Rep. Tom Perriello voted in support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, to make health care affordable for the middle class, provide security for seniors, and reduce the federal deficit. He released the following statement:

Whether for or against health care reform, most people in the district asked me to fight for deficit reduction, a fair shake for rural doctors, and no federal funding for abortions. I helped to score major victories on all three fronts. Today’s vote on health care legislation came down to a simple choice for me: do we sit back and let premiums skyrocket for middle-class families and small businesses, and watch the cost of prescription drugs bankrupt seniors and the cost of health care bankrupt the federal government? Or do we take this step today to support middle-class families and small businesses by encouraging competition to bring down premiums?

The time to act is now, because Virginians deserve a competitive health care market. They deserve access to affordable health care, and they deserve better choices when purchasing insurance.

Our work on this bill is not over. As health care legislation advances through Congress, I will work with my colleagues in the Senate to push for better inter-state competition. But I am proud of the changes I fought for. After hearing from my constituents during over 100 hours of town hall meetings in August, and by continuing those conversations in the months since, I worked to include their ideas in the bill, pushing for legislation that now protect Medicare, ensure deficit neutrality, encourage wellness and preventive care, and protect small businesses.

We can–and should–have the best health care system in the world. I am proud to support this profound shift away from the status quo towards progress and better, cheaper health care for more Americans.

The health care reform legislation meets three key litmus tests that Rep. Perriello set out from the beginning of the debate.

1. Reduces the federal deficit: The independent Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the legislation reduces the federal deficit by $109 billion in the first decade (2010-2019) and is likely to reduce deficits in the decade following 2019 by up to one quarter of one percent of GDP. [PDF of CBO analysis].

2. Ensures equitable reimbursement for rural hospitals: The bill directs the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to study geographic inequities in Medicare reimbursement rates and directs the Secretary to revise payment rates based on the IOM’s findings.

3. No federal funding for abortion: Rep. Perriello voted in favor of the Stupak-Pitts amendment, which ensures that no federal funds will be used for abortion.

How the 5th District of Virginia Will Benefit from Health Care Reform Legislation:

Among the many provisions for families and small businesses in the 5th District, here are some of the most important:

Improves care for those already covered by employer-sponsored plan. Approximately 62% of the district’s population (409,000 residents) receives health care coverage from their employer. Under the legislation, individuals and families with employer-based coverage can keep the health insurance coverage they have now, and it will get better. As a result of the insurance reforms in the bill, there will be no co-pays or deductibles for preventive care; no more rate increases or coverage denials for pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation; and guaranteed oral, vision, and hearing benefits for children.

Closing the Medicare Part D prescription drug “donut” hole. Each year, 12,500 seniors in the 5th District hit the Medicare Part D donut hole and are forced to pay their full drug costs. The legislation will provide these seniors with immediate relief, covering the first $500 of donut hole costs in 2010, cutting brand-name drug costs in the donut hole by 50%, and completely eliminating the donut hole by 2019.

Protecting and Improving Medicare. There are 130,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the district. The health care reform legislation improves Medicare by providing free preventive and wellness care, improving primary and coordinated care, improving nursing home quality, and strengthening the Medicare Trust Fund. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of HHS to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.

Coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. There are 10,700 individuals in the 5th district who have pre-existing medical conditions that could prevent them from buying insurance. Under the bill’s insurance reforms, they will now be able to purchase affordable coverage.

Health care and financial security. There were 1,200 health care–related bankruptcies in the 5th district in 2008, caused primarily by the health care costs not covered by insurance. 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, ensuring that no citizen will have to face financial ruin because of high health care costs.

[Click here to download a fact sheet by the Committee on Energy and Commerce on how health care reform will benefit the 5th District of Virginia.]

Some of the nearly 300 groups endorsing the Affordable Health Care for America Act:

• AARP
• American Cancer Society
• American Medical Association
• American Heart Association
• American Diabetes Association
• Consumer Reports
• National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
• National Farmers Union