The need for healthcare reform is clear. Today, more than 45 million Americans are without access to health coverage, employers are dropping coverage for employees due to rocketing costs, and beneficiaries are finding that their insurance plan no longer covers a variety of procedures. Congress must take a monumental step toward improving the U.S. healthcare delivery system and give every American peace of mind through access to quality, affordable health insurance, so that if they do get sick, they have the best chance possible of getting better without bankrupting their families.
Affordable health coverage is increasingly out of reach in Mississippi. In fact, 20 percent of people in the state are uninsured, and 60 percent of them are in families with at least one full-time worker. It is appalling that in my district alone there are about 165,000 uninsured individuals. According to the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, the overall quality of care in Mississippi is rated as “weak”. The significant disease burden and presence of health disparities is well-documented in Mississippi. We rank first in mortality rates due to cardiovascular disease, fifth highest in cancer deaths, and consistently have the highest rates of diabetes and obesity in the nation.
Today, every county in my District is medically underserved and there are too few providers to meet their basic primary care needs. By the time many get to see a doctor, the patient is older, poorer and sicker. For those in my District fortunate enough to have health coverage, they often face physician shortages, service shortages, or both.
For too long, our country has stood idly by and watched health care costs shoot through the roof. Rather than kick the can down the road, now is the time for us to provide every American with affordable access to health care. Our most vulnerable populations deserve a better partner in the federal government when it comes to health care. For some of us, healthcare reform is more than just about saving money, it’s about saving lives.
LEARN MORE
Read a summary of H.R. 3200, the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.
Read the full text of H.R. 3200.
Read Frequently Asked Questions about H.R. 3200.
Read how health insurance reform will benefit Mississippi
