Thank you for writing to express your concerns about health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you.
Millions of Americans face difficult choices between paying high premiums for health insurance coverage and meeting other basic needs of their families. Since 2000, health insurance premiums have gone up 73 percent. The high cost of insurance keeps dependable, quality health care coverage out of reach for many of Illinoisans. More than 46 million Americans are without health insurance today, including 8.5 million children, and millions of middle class families who do have coverage are one step away from losing it in this troubled economy.
We need reforms that give middle-class families the assurance of stable and secure coverage, stable and affordable costs, and better quality care. The reforms we are considering in Congress would help achieve these goals. We will put an end to discrimination based on preexisting conditions. Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage, or dropping you, because of your medical history or because you get sick. There will be no annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you can receive if you need it, and no one will be charged more because of their gender.
To help keep costs manageable, insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses. Basic preventive care, which can reduce costs in the long run, will be provided without charge. We are also working on reforms that will reduce costs for families, businesses, and the government by paying providers for the quality of the care they provide rather than the quantity.
If you like what you have today, you can keep it. But for the millions of Americans who have no security in today's health care market, these are some of the key steps needed to fix what is broken while we protect what works. People who are uninsured or unsatisfied with their coverage will be able to choose a plan that better addresses their needs.
I believe most Americans share my commitment to these goals of health care reform. I will keep your concerns in mind as I work for an approach that provides secure and stable coverage, affordable costs, and better quality care.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
RJD/kg
He didn't really answer my questions, but I guess I should be grateful for getting a response, right?
