Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference on Benefits to Seniors in Health Insurance Reform
Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami/Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congresswoman Doris Matsui and Congressman Charlie Wilson held a press conference this afternoon in the Capitol following a meeting with advocates for seniors on behalf of comprehensive health insurance reform legislation. The advocates included Bonnie Cramer of AARP and Trish Nemore of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Below are the Speaker’s opening remarks, closing statement, and a brief question and answer session:
Speaker Pelosi Opening Remarks:
"Good afternoon. Yesterday we were here with the little children, the youngest one six weeks old. We had sets of twins and a lot of fun, and at the end of it they gave me a diaper, which I should have brought over, that said 56 percent increase in insurance rates stinks. [Laughter.] America needs a change.
"Today, I have this exciting thing that I got in San Francisco over the weekend. A friend of mine who was part of the Administration when they were passing Medicare in 1964 gave me the count sheets. At one point, the for was 174, oppose 197. That wasn’t any good and then how they went through the sheets with the names of the Members and all the rest, and then how they ended up with a victory at the end—very exciting. And it is in that tradition of making a difference, a change for the American people, sitting right up there with Social Security, Medicare, health care for all Americans.
"Today, I am very pleased to be joined by some of my colleagues. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky – a leader in ensuring affordable health care for America’s seniors, for all Americans, but her focus in her career has been about seniors as well. Bonnie Cramer, the Chair of the AARP Board of Directors. Representing 40 million Americans aged 50 and older, AARP has made health insurance reform its number one legislative priority, and has helped ensure that our efforts strengthen Medicare. Congressman Charlie Wilson, we will be hearing from him, working to strengthen Medicare and insure it is fiscally sound. Thank you, Charlie. Trish Nemore of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, which has been a partner in making certain that health insurance reform works for America’s seniors. Congresswoman Doris Matsui, ensuring that seniors can keep their doctor and benefit from better coordination of care with health insurance reform. And Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro – a lifelong advocate for health insurance reform that ensures affordability for the middle class, accessibility for millions more Americans, and accountability for insurance companies.
"I mention this because there is so much commitment, knowledge and vision about how we go forward here, and we are very proud of that. I am also pleased by representatives from a diverse group of organizations who have been strong advocates for health insurance reform. And I want you to wave when I say your organization. AARP, of course we will hear from the Chairwoman; the Center for Medicare Advocacy, we will hear from Trish as well; the Alliance for Retired Americans, Ed Coyle who is here; American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, Larry Minnix; Medicare Rights Center; AFSCME Retirees; National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, thank you for being here; American Federation of Teachers Program on Retirement and Retirees; Easter Seals; and others. Many of you are here.
"We come together today as America’s seniors are asking what health insurance reform will mean for them. Some people are confused, and understandably so. Opponents of reform have spent millions of dollars spreading misrepresentations, in fact even mistruths.
"But the truth is: Democrats believe that health insurance reform must strengthen Medicare, never harm it. We are responsible for Medicare. Oh by the way, did I tell you 15 Republicans voted on the crucial vote on Medicare—only 15. That is why our health insurance reform legislation will improve care and benefits, improve care and benefits under Medicare and extend Medicare solvency.
"AARP, and the Chairwoman will speak for herself, has said they support our reform efforts because reform ‘will put Medicare on a sounder fiscal footing.’
"And as President Obama said yesterday: ‘This proposal makes Medicare stronger, makes the coverage better, and makes its finances more secure. Anyone who says otherwise is misinformed – or is trying to misinform you.’ End of quote.
"Our legislation lowers prescription drug cost for millions of seniors by completely closing the so-called ‘donut hole,’ the coverage—and what I am realizing is some of you younger folks don’t know what the ‘donut hole’ is. Certainly not anybody here because you are so informed but for those of your viewers, the ‘donut hole’ is the coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit, it provides seniors, well we will be speaking to it in more detail. Yesterday, the House Budget Committee and Congresswoman DeLauro will report on that so I won’t, but Democrats unanimously supported closing the ‘donut hole.’ The Republicans voted against closing the ‘donut hole.’
"Under this legislation, which ensures free preventive care under Medicare, eliminating deductibles and co-payments for preventive services that will keep seniors healthier longer includes numerous reforms that will improve the quality of care for America’s seniors, such as providing for more coordinated care so seniors won’t have to undergo unnecessary tests and procedures.
"It has investments in expanding the medical workforce so seniors will have more doctors to choose from and an easier time getting an appointment.
"It makes sure that the Medicare trust fund is fiscally sound for a decade longer than it is right now.
"In conclusion, I would say that for America’s seniors, it is now time for an up-or-down vote on health insurance reform. We must get the job done – and we will, in a way that strengthens Medicare for America’s seniors.
"With that, I am very pleased to yield to our colleague who is leading, a co-chair of our task force on health insurance reform and seniors, Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky of Illinois."
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Speaker Pelosi Closing Statement:
"Thank you Congresswoman DeLauro. And thank you for that report which brings us up to date on the, where we are in terms of moving forward with our legislation.
"I want to thank all of our participants here for their leadership, for their advocacy on behalf of America’s seniors, for their great knowledge of the issues and the challenges faced by individual families and seniors. And it’s the personal stories — that story bank is overflowing with stories of concern, experiences that families have around their kitchen table, by the bedside of their seniors, or just the uncertainty they have about their jobs. Because if you lose your job under this plan, you do not lose your health insurance. And that’s what is so important, I know, to the 50 to 65 year-olds.
"Listening to our friends on this subject reminds me of one of the major virtues of this legislation — because what it does is to invigorate our economy by creating jobs for sure, making America healthier, lowering costs, improving quality, that’s for sure. And for seniors, it makes Social Security solvent for another decade, closes the donut hole, and does not lower benefits or increase premiums. It’s very important.
"But what it also does for seniors, especially those on the verge of becoming seniors, the 40 to 55 year olds — excuse me, the 50 to 65 year-olds, as AARP has part of its membership is this. Think of an economy where people are able to follow their pursuits, their aspirations. Be they to be a photographer, an artist, to be a media person, a media consultant or writer, to just follow their aspirations, to start a business. Most people have these aspirations, they feel entrepreneurial, they want to take risks. But most of them are confined. They’re job locked because they cannot change jobs because they would lose their health insurance. If they happen to have a member of the family, be it a child or a spouse who has a pre-existing condition, they really have a hard time leaving.
"So, again, at a time in life you usually think of young people being entrepreneurial, but people over 50 who may have moved from one job to the next, would have so much more opportunity if they had health insurance. But if they lose their job, as Congressman Wilson said, maybe through no fault of their own, they are out of work for no — through no fault of their own or they have chosen to go another place, they can do so because they have health insurance.
"This is the great liberator. This is the great entrepreneurial spirit that is our country. And this means a great deal, again, to our 50 to 65 year-old population who may have wanted to benefit from the experience they have had in one job and then start their own business or be self-employed or change jobs, but have the freedom to do so.
"So, I’m very excited about what this will do directly for seniors, indirectly for seniors, directly for our economy. The Budget Committee met all day yesterday, as Congresswoman DeLauro reported. It was stunning, and I hope that all of you have seen the list, I don’t have it here, but, when it came time to close the ‘donut hole’ just remember this: the Republicans were voting ‘no.’
"So this comes down to, are we going to continue to allow the insurance companies to own the turf of America? Of America’s well-being and America’s health? They’re had for over 60 years — even a waiver from the anti-trust laws, which we voted to repeal in the House already.
"Now it’s time to say whose side we’re on. I wish it didn’t come to that. We’d like to think that everybody in our country is on the same team, but apparently that is not the case. When they vote over and over again in this Congress, in these committees and the rest has been to be for the insurance companies, to have them continue to come between patients and their doctors, instead of advocating for the change that our country needs. Senator Kennedy said it best: ‘It’s not just about the provisions of the bill, they’re important; it’s about the character of our country.’
"So again, for the health and well-being of our people, for the fiscal soundness of our budgets. President Obama has said: ‘Health care reform is entitlement reform.’ The health of our country, fiscal soundness of our federal budget, the fiscal soundness of family budgets, of businesses’ budgets, and about who we are as a country. It’s a very exciting prospect that we’re right on the brink of making history. Right alongside Social Security, Medicare, and now health care for all Americans.
"With that I’d be pleased to take any questions that you may have."
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Question and Answer Session:
Q: Given the ferocity of the Republican attacks on the possibility of the House procedure that would allow House Members not to vote on the Senate bill, why not just have them vote on the Senate bill? Or is it possible to get a majority?
Speaker Pelosi. No. We have, as I have said to you before, have several options available to us. And we we’ve asked the Parliamentarian and the Rules Committee tell us what our options are and they’ve given us some. I’ve told the Members that until we see the substance from the CBO, we won’t make a determination about how we go forward, but we want to know what our options are. And I didn’t hear any of that ferocity when hundreds of times, the Republicans used these methods when they were in power. This is part — maybe 25 percent of what they did.
So, this is — if you don’t want to talk about substance, talk about process. And if you want to talk about process, let’s talk about the process that the insurance companies use when they say to you: "You become sick, your insurance is cancelled." When they say to you: "You’re on the way to an operation but your insurance is rescinded because we just feel like it and we can do it, so we will." Or what they say when they say to somebody that: "You have a pre-existing condition and so you cannot have health insurance." Let’s talk about that process. If you want to have some outrage about process, let’s apply it to the insurance companies.
Q: Do you still think it’s possible to pass legislation before the President goes to Indonesia on Sunday?
Speaker Pelosi. Well, that all — as I say, and I’ve said over and over, my clock starts ticking on this when we get the report back from the CBO.
Q: When will that be?
Speaker Pelosi. Well, we’re — you know, it’s an independent agency, we’re not really allowed to say what they tell us or when it’s going to happen, but I’m hoping that it will be soon, but I’ve been saying that for a while. But I think it will be pretty soon and then we can give the notice that we have promised, that we have sufficient time for everyone to be able to read the bill, review the bill, for the public to see what it is, and then to take a vote.
So, that’s what it really depends on.
Q: Madam Speaker I know you said our clock starts ticking when get the CBO numbers. When do you begin whipping, and even if you aren’t formally whipping yet, are you formally going to Members that you think are important to say, "Hey can you vote with me on this?"
Speaker Pelosi. I never stop whipping. [Laughter.] There’s no beginning, there’s no middle, and there’s no end. [Laughter.] My life is a constant whip operation.
Let me say this, which is something I’m so proud of: Our Members and our leadership and our chairmen are one team on all of this. You’ve heard the words of Congressman Wilson and Congresswoman Matsui and Congresswoman Schakowsky and Congresswoman DeLauro — that is the knowledge and the passion that they bring to this issue, the commitment to do what is right for our constituents. So, we have a massive whip operation, and we’ll be ready when it is time to go to the floor.
Q: Are you talking to folks about this?
Speaker Pelosi. Well, no people talk to me all the time. I don’t stave off any conversations about the bill.
Q: Speaker, how would you gauge the reaction of Members who are moderate Members in your Caucus? How are they doing right now?
Speaker Pelosi. Well they’re, I think they are ready to have the CBO report. You know, we’ve all, are respectful of the independence of the agency and the careful time that they, the time they have to take to carefully review the numbers because it is very important to us that this legislation be fiscally sound, that is save $100 billion in the first 10 years and $1 trillion in the second 10 years. That is our goal. We want to come as close to that as possible. In fact, we insist that we will. And so, I think it is safe to say, that for my colleagues, I think the CBO report would be greatly welcomed.
Q: Madam Speaker, do you expect more solid yeas then?
Speaker Pelosi. I think we are in pretty good shape. Yes, of course. People have to see the numbers. And this is a lot about, it is about improving quality of care, lowering cost for individuals, but if there were no other reason to do this legislation than because we must do it for the fiscal soundness of our own budget, and that is why people have to see the numbers because there are more than one reason to do it: health—yes, prevention, wellness, entrepreneurial spirit, to give people more options in life—yes, and again as I say, this investments in technology, in science that are taking us to a new place. Kick open that door, a new way of making America healthier. But the fact is, the numbers have to add up to drastic deficit reduction as we go forward. And that is why for this more than many bills that we deal with, it’s essential for the Members to see the numbers.
Q: I just want to follow on the procedural issue. Does it really make that much of a difference to your own Members to have this vote on the Senate bill in the rule as opposed to just and up-or-down vote?
Speaker Pelosi. We don’t, you know what I am not, there are no decision has been made about that. It depends on the substance and then we will go to the process on that.
Q: Madam Speaker, you also have said that nobody wants to actually vote on the Senate bill. Are you…
Speaker Pelosi. No, I didn’t. No. No, I didn’t say nobody wants to vote on it. I said there are a lot of people who don’t want to vote for it.
Q: So then are you essentially saying that a Senate bill up-and-down vote, that your Caucus would have huge problems with it?
Speaker Pelosi. We will do what is necessary to pass a health care bill to improve quality, lower cost, and make America healthier. Thank you.
Thank you all very much.