Whitfield Weighs in on Healthcare Summit

From the Office of Congressman Ed Whitfield
Thursday, February 24, 2010

 

WASHINGTON – On the eve of the White House Healthcare Summit, U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) met with a key healthcare negotiator to present his “10 Steps to A Healthier America,” a package of reform proposals the Congressman has championed throughout the healthcare debate.

“While the past several months of closed-door meetings and behind the scenes deal making have left many Americans, including myself, disheartened about the healthcare debate, I remain hopeful that Democrats and Republicans will be able to find some way forward that will improve our healthcare system without bankrupting our nation,” Whitfield said. “I am pleased to have the opportunity to present my proposals to be considered during the summit which would ensure Kentuckians receive the care and treatment they need at a cost they can afford.”

Whitfield met with Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Joe Barton (TX-06) today to discuss the White House Health Care Summit being held tomorrow. The summit is an effort on the part of the Obama Administration to bring together Democrat and Republican leadership to discuss healthcare reform proposals currently pending in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Ranking Member Barton is one of the leaders who will be attending the summit and Whitfield met with him today to present his healthcare principles.

Whitfield’s ‘10 Principles’ aim to ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable healthcare; make certain that the chronically ill are able to receive the treatment they need; and enhance and encourage medical research and health information technology. Additionally, Whitfield’s proposals would make information on healthcare options more readily available for patients; allow groups to purchase insurance across state lines; and make it more affordable for businesses to provide healthcare coverage for their employees.

Whitfield has been an outspoken critic of the healthcare proposals currently pending in Congress as well as the “behind-closed-doors” process the bills have been shaped under. The Congressman has said he is concerned the proposals could decrease the quality of care Kentuckians receive, hamstring small business owners in the midst of an economic recession and increase the already sky-high national debt.