Evan Bayh on Health Care Reform..

[and-justice-for-all]

Thank you for contacting me regarding health care reform. I appreciate hearing your thoughts and understand your concerns.

The rising cost of health care and the growing number of uninsured Americans has highlighted the critical need for health care reform. Many individuals and families are unable to receive vital health services under the structure of the current system. I receive letters from constituents on a wide range of health care issues, such as prescription drug affordability, tax credits for health care expenses, and coverage of college students. Please know that I am aware of these challenges and committed to improving access to affordable health care and addressing the needs of those who are uninsured.

Earlier this year, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 was enacted to insure 11 million more children. The legislation included pediatric quality provisions from the Children's Health Care Quality Act (S. 225) that I introduced to address the urgent need to resolve quality care issues widespread in children's health care practices and make publicly available information on the quality of health care provided to children. I have fought successfully for the return of over $150 million in promised federal funds to Indiana to finance health insurance for lower-income Hoosier children. Most recently, I voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was enacted on February 17, 2009. Aimed at creating or saving 3.5 million good-paying jobs nationwide through 2010, the economic recovery package also provides Indiana with an estimated $1.4 billion in additional targeted federal matching funds to prevent Medicaid eligibility cuts and to maintain services.

The economy is an important issue to Americans, and we cannot address the economy without talking about health care. A growing threat to our economy is the skyrocketing cost of health care. The U.S. system is the world's costliest; the country spends some $2.4 trillion a year on health care. An estimated 46 million people are uninsured, and many others lack adequate insurance. Businesses also find themselves in a challenging position to continue to provide health care insurance for their employees. Our priority should be to fix the system as we know it, to ensure that there is access to good, quality health care for Americans.

While we are in the early stages of the debate on health care reform, there are many questions regarding the role of the private and public sector. Due to increasing co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs, many are calling for insurance regulation. Advances in health information technology are also being discussed, as electronic medical records could significantly reduce administrative costs. However, there are serious privacy and security concerns. Accountability measures such as patient notifications and patient control of personal health information must be explored in order to ensure adequate privacy protections.

As the debate unfolds, I support fiscally sound reform built on our current health care system that aims to provide Americans with affordable health care. Rest assured that I will keep your concerns in mind as the debate continues. I will continue to do my best to achieve solvent, bipartisan solutions that provide high-quality, affordable healthcare to as many Americans as possible.


Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope the information I have provided has been helpful. My website, http://bayh.senate.gov, can provide additional details about my work in the Senate, including legislation and state projects. You can also sign up for occasional email updates. I value your input and hope you will continue to keep me informed of the issues that matter to you.


Office of Senator Evan Bayh
[phone]
Russell 131
Washington, D.C. 20510

[joeybee12]

1. Wow! Lots of words to essentially say nothing...

...no wonder he's a politician.

[and-justice-for-all]

3. He is a DINO ya know...LOL

[MarjorieG]

2. "Reform built on our current system--bi part"--does that mean no PO?

[and-justice-for-all]

4. Most likely, seeing that his wife Susan is in bed with several

big pharma/insurance companies.

[Bozita]

8. She's on the Board of Directors of Wellpoint.

I'll bet she loves hubby's statement.

[mod mom]

11. Susan Bayh made more than $837,000 last year from sitting on boards. Guess where their loyalty is:

Susan Bayh, a lawyer, drew more than $837,0000 from her work on seven corporate boards last year, as Bloomberg News notes.

She is a director at Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc., "which is part of a medical research partnership awarded a $24.7 million federal grant in May after Evan Bayh and his Indiana colleagues in Congress recommended the group to the National Institutes of Health,'' Bloomberg's Timothy Burger reports. "She's on the board of E*Trade Bank, a subsidiary of E*Trade Financial Corp., while her husband sits on the Senate Banking Committee. She is lead director at Emmis Communications Corp., an Indianapolis radio-station operator that published Evan Bayh's 2003 memoir.

-snip

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/evan_bayhs_wife_corporate_boar.html

THEIR CORPORATE MASTERS.

[DebbieCDC]

5. Sound and fury signifying nothing

What a gasbag

[AndyA]

6. He's telling you what he thinks you want to hear, without agreeing with you.

Translation: I have to think of my campaign donors. I don't want you to get sick and die, but if I go for the public option I will lose big donors.

DINO DINO DINO. And a disgrace.

[xxqqqzme]

7. "...Our priority should be to fix the system as we know it..."

'as we know it' = no public option

There is no fix to a system 'as we know it'. It is broken beyond repair. It needs to be replaced w/ an up to date model meant to compete on a global scale. These DLCers give me a pain that no healthcare can treat.

[ladjf]

9. Wah wah, wah wah. nt

[PVnRT]

10. Nothing like a Bayh form letter

I'm surprised they sent anything at all.