Whitfield Grills Sebelius on Healthcare Reform

From the Office of Congressman Ed Whitfield
Thursday, February 4, 2010

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) grilled Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius yesterday about the impact sweeping healthcare reform legislation currently being considered in Congress will have on Kentuckians and the behind-the-scenes deal making that has plagued the entire process.

“When you are endeavoring to comprehensively change the healthcare system in America and you see side deals being cut, when all of us represent the same taxpayer, and you see Nebraska getting a special deal, you see Vermont getting a special deal, you see Massachusetts getting a special deal, it makes me question the entire process,” Whitfield said. “When you see three counties in Florida where they are able to keep their Medicare Advantage program and yet in my District we have 10,000 people on Medicare Advantage who may not be able to keep their coverage because of the reduction in money available for Medicare Advantage, it is just patently unfair.”

The House Energy and Commerce Committee, on which Whitfield serves, held a hearing yesterday on the proposed fiscal year 2011 budget of the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS Secretary Sebelius testified before the Committee and fielded questions from Members of the Committee.

During the hearing, Whitfield questioned Secretary Sebelius about healthcare reform legislation being championed by President Obama. Whitfield pressed the Secretary about Administration claims that Americans will be able to keep their current insurance coverage under the proposals passed by the House and Senate. Secretary Sebelius admitted that nothing ensures an employee that his or her employer will continue employer based coverage.

“When we hear people emphatically saying ‘you have the right to keep your existing insurance policy’ that is really not true,” Whitfield said. “I am pleased we can clarify this to the American people who could lose their current coverage as a result of the proposals currently being considered by the House and Senate.”

Whitfield also expressed frustrations over closed-door deal making currently ongoing in the healthcare debate. Specifically, Whitfield pointed to states where citizens will receive certain benefits in terms of Medicare coverage under the proposed healthcare bills that other taxpayers, including those in Kentucky, will not receive.

Attached is an audio clip of Whitfield questioning Secretary Sebelius. To see video, please visit the Congressman’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/WhitfieldKY01