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| Reform of our health care system is tremendously important for all Americans. Annual health care spending in the United States is more than $2.4 trillion, representing 17% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Therefore, any comprehensive reform of the system will have a tremendous effect on our economy, our businesses, and our personal lives. |
| Americans have a great opportunity to reform health care in order to do three important things: slow the growth of health care costs, improve the quality of care, and increase the number of Americans who have health insurance. Working together, we can make progress on all three of these important goals. |
| We believe reform efforts should be focused on improving our current health care system, not dismantling it entirely with a government-run system. In fact, most Americans – 56% according to Gallup1 – argree we should retain our current private health care system rather than replacing it with a government-run system. |
| It’s easy to understand why most Americans feel that way. American health care, like no other system in the world, has produced incredible advances in medical technologies, treatments, and medicines. These advances have improved the health and quality of life of millions of people around the world and are a direct result of the innovative forces inherent in private, free enterprise health care – America’s unique health care system. |
| Unfortunately, the current reform debate has centered on the size of the role government will play in our system. Those advocating the creation of a government-run health plan are seeking a significant increase in the role of government in health care. Many believe that a government-run health plan is the first step to a single-payer, government-controlled health care system similar to Canada or Great Britain. |
| Most Americans understand that competition fosters more choice, greater innovation, and lower costs. A recent national survey found that 60% of Americans would oppose a plan to make health care free for everyone if it meant they had to change their coverage to a program administered by the government.2 Radical change is not what Americans desire. |
| As support for the current Congressional reform proposals has gone down, the White House and Congressional leaders have targeted health insurance companies as the obstacles to health care reform. This is simply not true. |
| Health insurers support sensible reforms. We merely oppose a government-run health plan that will destroy health care as we know it. |
| We believe the only way to slow the growth of health care costs, improve the quality of care, and increase the number of Americans with health insurance is by improving our free enterprise health care system. More government control of health care is not the answer. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office determined that the current legislation being considered will cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion over 10 years and leave 17 million Americans uninsured by 2019. |
| Last year, health insurers offered substantive proposals with an equal emphasis on slowing the growth of health care costs, improving quality, and increasing the number of insured Americans. We support health care reform. |
| Working together, we have an opportunity to make health care better for you and your family. We need to take that opportunity. |
| Now is the time for bipartisan cooperation in Washington. Tell your Congressional delegation. |
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