Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today issued the following statement regarding this morning’s release of the White House’s latest government health proposal:
 
           “The status quo is unacceptable, and Americans are demanding a fresh approach from Washington – one that lowers health costs and doesn’t impose a taxpayer-funded bureaucracy on Americans’ medical care.  Unfortunately, the outline released by the White House only tinkers with the House and Senate bills that have been widely rejected by the American people. 
 
           “The White House plan contains many of the same massive tax increases, Medicare cuts, and government controls that have been broadly criticized for their failure to curb costs or preserve our quality of care.  I am pleased the President seems willing to consider at least one idea I’ve advocated to combat waste and fraud in Medicare, but this blueprint is still disturbingly silent on key issues like medical malpractice reform and association health plans for small businesses.
 
           “This week, the President has an opportunity to lead us in a better direction on health care, but he needs to stop using the same flawed roadmap as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.  I encourage the President to set aside old ideas, and focus on crafting a bill that can garner mainstream support by making health care more affordable and accessible without driving away the high-quality health care options that many Americans enjoy today.  To make lasting health care reform a success, we must be able to work together, and that process can’t get moving until Democrat leaders actually open this process to better ideas – not just to TV cameras.

           “Overall, I am disappointed that instead of starting with ideas on which many on both sides of the aisle can agree, we’re starting with the basic Pelosi-Reid model that Americans do not want.”

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