We have the obligation and the opportunity to reform health care make certain that all Vermonters and Americans have the affordable and comprehensive health care they need and deserve.  We need reform that ensures that everyone has access to high quality care and real choices in the plans they purchase and the doctors they visit.  Never before has the need for health care reform been so urgent and so widely supported.  We can fix these problems and structure a better system.  I believe we can no longer afford to postpone true reform to our health system. 

In recent weeks we have seen real progress toward comprehensive health care reform.  In both the Senate and the House of Representatives, members of Congress continue to work together to craft the final versions of health care legislation that will be debated this fall.  It is important to recognize that this process is ongoing, building upon the efforts of the past decade and working toward the best possible health care reforms.

I want to continue to hear from Vermonters about the issues most important to them, and I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to contact me and actively be a part of this ongoing dialogue.  Health care is a very personal issue to every American, and many competing interests are working to influence the process.  This is a healthy debate, but it is also fertile ground for myths, rumors and even outright falsehoods.  The President has worked to foster an honest dialogue based on facts, which is the constructive way such an important issue should be debated.

I invite you to share with me questions or concerns about the various legislative proposals by emailing me at healthcare@leahy.senate.gov.  I will then post some of the most common questions and responses each week so that you can share this information with your friends, family and members of your community.  I hope that you will be able to use my website as a resource to understand and find more information on what is currently included in different health care reform proposals and to share your thoughts and concerns with me.

In the coming weeks when the opportunity to consider health care reform legislation comes before the full Senate, I look forward to a thoughtful debate about this important and complex issue.  I will continue to work to ensure that all Vermonters and all Americans can find quality, affordable health care they can count on.

PATRICK LEAHY
United States Senator 

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Comprehensive Health Care Reform Legislation In Congress

America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, HR3200

Introduced by the three committees in the House of Representatives with jurisdiction over health policy, this legislation has passed by all three committees and awaits debate on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Check below for more information about this legislation including section by section summaries, lists of supporters, and frequently asked questions.

Full text of the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act (PDF)

House Committees on Education and Labor

House Ways and Means Committee

House Energy and Commerce Committee

Affordable Health Choices Act

Introduced by Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, the Affordable Health Choices Act was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for consideration.  After more than 56 hours of debate of nearly 300 amendments, this legislation successfully passed out of the Senate HELP Committee by a vote of 13 to 10.

The Affordable Health Choices Act now awaits a conference with a Senate Finance Committee proposal before a single combined legislation will receive consideration by the full Senate this fall.

Full text of the Affordable Health Choices Act (PDF)

Section by Section Summary of the Affordable Health Choices Act

Senate HELP Committee website

Senate Finance Committee Proposal

The Senate Finance Committee continues to negotiate a proposal to introduce in the Senate.  Once the Senate Finance Committee finalizes a proposal, expected in the coming weeks, the Senate Finance Committee will combine their bill with the Senate HELP Committee to form one bill.  This bill will then be considered by the full Senate.

Although the Senate Finance Committee does not have a final proposal, they have offered a series of policy papers that outline possible proposals for health care reform.  These policy papers came from a series of bipartisan roundtable discussions with the Senate Finance Committee, Chairman Max Baucus of Montana and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

For more information regarding the Senate Finance Committee efforts in health care reform, please visit their website at  http://finance.senate.gov/

Policy Options for Financing Comprehensive Health Care Reform: Proposed Health Savings and Revenue Options May 18, 2009 (PDF)

Policy Options for Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to All Americans May 11, 2009 (PDF)

Policy Options for Transformation the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Heath Care Costs April 21, 2009 (PDF) 

Health Care Reform Resources

Click here for a side by side comparison (PDF) of the Senate HELP Committee's Affordable Health Choices Act and the House Tri-Committee America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, prepared by the non-partisan Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

For current news and reports regarding health care reform, and ongoing efforts by the Obama Administration and Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the Department of Health and Human Services, another resource is healthreform.gov.

This site is moderated; submission of an email does not guarantee that it will be published. Questions and comments may also be edited for length. Please include full name and town when sending comments. Posted submissions will list first name and city or town only. Please make a note if you do not wish to have your submission or name posted.  

If you would like a direct response from Senator Leahy regarding your health care concern please email him at Senator_Leahy@leahy.senate.gov

More Information