Senate Proceeding 10-14-09 on Oct 14th, 2009 :: 4:11:45 to 4:18:15
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4:11:42 to 4:12:02( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: things to say about the public option, and, please -- mr. cardin: i appreciate if the senator would yield and i thank and i thank the senator from new mexico for bringing us together. he's been a real champion on the public insurance option within the health care debate but a real leader in that we need to do it was interesting, i listened to my republican friends, and

4:11:45 to 4:18:15( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Benjamin L. Cardin

4:12:03 to 4:12:23( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: they sort of take a position the status quo is acceptable, the status quo is not acceptable. health insurance reform is vitally important for the american public. and i want to thank the senator from -- the senator for bring us all together to talk about it. you know, there's some general consensus here among the democrats. and the first is that we need to

4:12:24 to 4:12:44( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: reform our health insurance marketplace. that it's important for the federal government to take action to deal with preexisting conditions that people can get health insurance without discrimination, that they can get the ability to renew their policies, that there's no cap on the annual amounts that preventive care is without co-payment or without deductibles.

4:12:45 to 4:13:06( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: these are all important changes that are included in the health insurance reform that's making its way through -- through the senate. but let me reason for all this is cost. i'm going to be honest with my colleagues. we c't sustain the current health costs escalation in this country. let me just give you a few numbers. 6, 12, 23.

4:13:07 to 4:13:28( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: ten years ago in maryland, a family health insurance policy cost about $6,000. today it's about $12,000. if we don't do anything, in 2016, it's going to be $23,000. that's not sustainable. we are currently spending in america about $7,400 per person for health insurance,

4:13:29 to 4:13:49( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: we've got to do better. and let me tell you, something every family in mayor mar that hasealth -- family in maryland that has hement health insurance is paying an extra $1,100 a year for those who don't have health insurance. so the status quo is unacceptable to the people of maryland. it's unacceptable to the people of this nation. our objective is simple. our objective is to reduce the

4:13:50 to 4:14:10( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: costs of health care to make sure that every american has access to affordable, quality care. and we're going to do it in a fiscally responsible way that will not add to the federal deficit. we want to build on the current system. those who have insurance, we want to make sure they can continue to keep that insurance. that it remains affordable. that they have right to choose their doctor.

4:14:11 to 4:14:31( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: we want to make sure that medicare is strengthened. one of the best ways to strengthen medicare is to bring down the escalating cost of health care. we understand that. democrats want to make sure that the medicare system remains strong, and that's one of the reasons why we think health insurance reform today is so critically important, and we want to help small businesses

4:14:32 to 4:14:53( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: have more choice. so that brings me to the insurance option. why do we think the public insurance option is so important? well, first, i've heard some of my colleagues come down to floor and say, this is a -- we want to protect you against the democratic bill that's a government takeover. this is not a government takeover. was medicare a government takeover? of course, that's what our republican friends said when we

4:14:54 to 4:15:14( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: were condering medicare in 1965. and if they had their way, we would never have passed medicare. but medicare allows to you choose private doctors, private hospitals. it's all about providing an affordable way that our seniors can get access to affordable care. it maintains the private

4:15:15 to 4:15:35( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: network. so we want to make sure we continue that. let me tell you the problem in maryland today, madam p and that is that 71% of the people in maryland that have private insurance are on one of two plans. that's not competive. that's not competive. one out of every three marylanders have no choice on

4:15:36 to 4:15:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: the private insurance plan that their employer offers they must take. that's not choice. so the reason why i'm such a strong proponent of the public option is to bring down costs, to have more competion, to make sure that we have an affordable product there. to save taxpayers dollars.

4:15:57 to 4:16:18( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: that's why i sure that we maintain a -- a public insurance option. to be able to maintain your ability to choose your own doctor, give your one more comparison, if i might. and that is let's take a look at what happened to medicare. ll, you know, medicare, we have medicare advantage you can go to a private insurance option within medicare

4:16:19 to 4:16:41( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: itself. but, you know, it would be one thing if they competed on a level playing field. they don't. today we're paying 12% to 17% more for every senior that chooses private insurance. let me repeat that. for every senior private insurance, the taxpayers of this nation have to spend more money. the congressional budget office has indicated to us that -- that

4:16:42 to 4:17:02( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: amounts to about $150 billion over 10 years. we can't afford that. i'm for private insurance. but i want to make sure it's affordable and that wre not oversubsidizing as we are today. let them compete on a level playing field. the reason that we want the public o

4:17:03 to 4:17:23( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: down, to keep basically the private insurance marketplace straight and honest is the way they make their profits and to make sure tha in every part of maryland, indeed, every part of this nation there is an affordable insurance plan available. marylanders know what happened with -- with what's called

4:17:24 to 4:17:44( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: medicare plus choice when we had medicare and they left overnight and they had no insurance available and fortunately they still had the public insurance option called medicare. we want to make sure that there's affordable coverage for all americans to keep the cost down. so i applaud my colleague from new mexico for allowing us an

4:17:45 to 4:18:06( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: opportunity to talk about this. i really do applaud the work that's being done by all of our committees, by the health committee, by the senate finance committee. their options give us hope that we are going to move forward with health insurance reform and health care reform this year to bring down the cost of health care to make sure every american

4:18:07 to 4:18:15( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: has bein access to affordable, quality care and do in aay that will be fiscally responsible. democrats are giving us hope that we're going to be able to