Washington, D.C. – This morning, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved landmark health care reform legislation. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who was named in May to serve temporarily on the HELP Committee, praised the committee’s work today:
“For the past months, Rhode Islanders have told me that we need to fix health care in this country. I’ve heard from people struggling under skyrocketing costs and fearful that their coverage will disappear; people living with illness or injury because they can’t afford to see a doctor; people suffering from needless, preventable medical errors. All they’re asking for is health care they can rely on, and afford. As of today, we’re one step closer.
“The reform bill we passed today will let you keep the health insurance you have, if you like it – and if you can’t afford your coverage or you’re uninsured, you’ll have new choices. Its emphasis on quality improvement, disease prevention, and a public insurance option will mean high-quality, efficient health care that invests not only in treating you when you’re sick, but in keeping you well. And never again will an insurance company be able to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
“I was proud to serve temporarily on the HELP Committee and to stand with my senior senator, Jack Reed, in support of this historic reform, and I’ll keep fighting until we fulfill the promise of a health care system that works for everyone.”
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