Comprehensive healthcare reform: March Madness in Congress

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) releases the following statement regarding comprehensive healthcare reform:

"It's March Madness in Congress as well as on the nation's basketball courts this week, so let's look at the past performance charts to see how the two teams have performed on the big challenge of comprehensive healthcare reform.

"Team Republican, with six years of complete control in the White House and both sides of Congress, has this result: Zero. All the Republicans could score were political points, not any real help for tens of millions of Americans with no health insurance at all and millions more with inadequate or imperiled coverage.

"The Democratic team, in less than 16 months has recorded victories for the American people: Reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program for seven million children and extension of coverage for four million more. Approval in the House of the plan to eliminate health insurance companies' anti-trust exemption. And the big prize for all Americans, comprehensive and immediate healthcare reform that will shortly reach President Obama's desk for signing.

"Republicans have been pulling a misdirection play in recent days but the ball is no longer in their court. They will have their chance, in the next few days, to vote 'No' on comprehensive healthcare for their constituents. Or they can vote – as I intend to vote – a resounding 'Yes' for the most far reaching reform ever implemented for this broken and dysfunctional system.

"The benefits will be immediate: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping your coverage when you get sick. It stops them, right away, from denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions or imposing lifetime caps. There are immediate tax credits for employees' health insurance premiums. There will be an immediate rebate provision for Medicare recipients who hit the prescription drug 'donut hole.' Young adults can remain on their parents' policy until age 26. And that's just the tipoff.

"Enacting this reform means more than making it to the Final Four. We are achieving the big prize, comprehensive healthcare reform – an All-American championship solution for everyone."