On Tuesday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Health held the first of a three-day series of hearings on health reform. The hearings come as Congress is working to deliver on a promise to President Obama to have a health reform law passed by Oct. 1.
Up for discussion at the hearings is the health reform bill recently proposed by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).
Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager at Health Care for America Now said the bill is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when Congress works together.
"The House bill does what America needs," Kirsch said. "It provides good, affordable coverage for all, implements shared responsibility for individuals and employers, and gives everyone a choice of regulated insurers or a public health insurance option that will lower costs and keep insurance companies honest."
According to Kirsch, Health Care for America Now will be rallying around the country in support of the Kennedy bill. "Seeing such a strong, unified effort come out of the House just reinforces our grassroots commitment to making sure lawmakers know we expect them to get it done," Kirsch said.
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said he opposed the $1.3 trillion bill, which includes what Enzi called "an $80 billion pork barrel spending slush fund."
"The Kennedy bill leaves millions of Americans without health insurance, but it’s chock-full of earmarks and pork barrel spending,” Enzi said. “This bill costs too much and abandons the President’s promises."
Last week, the National Coalition on Health Care - a nonpartisan alliance of over 75 organizations representing 150 million citizens – said it would support reform that establishes five basic interdependent principles: covering everyone, containing costs, improving the quality of care, simplifying administration, and financing equitably.
Witnesses at the Tuesday hearing were expected to include Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager of Health Care for America Now; Ralph G. Neas, chief executive officer of the National Coalition on Health Care; Stephen T. Parente, director of the Medical Industry Leadership Institute; Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund; Jennie Chin Hansen, president of AARP; David L. Shern, president and chief executive officer of Mental Health America; Erik Novak, MD from Patients United Now; Shona Robertson-Holmes, a patient at the Mayo Clinic; Jeffrey Levi, executive director at Trust for America’s Health; Brian D. Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; and Mark Kestner, MD, chief medical officer at Alegent Health.