(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus’ landmark plan for health reform passed out of the Senate Finance Committee today.

Baucus called today’s bipartisan vote an “opportunity to make history” as the legislation will improve the lives of all Montanans and Americans and help get the economy back on track.

After more than a year of preparation, and holding more than 40 health care events in the state, Baucus’ bipartisan bill to lower costs and provide quality, affordable health care coverage to all Montanans will advance to conference where it will be merged with other Senate health care reform bills.

“I am very pleased that our common-sense, balanced bill to improve and expand health coverage for tens of millions of American families passed the Committee vote today,” said Baucus. “There is more work ahead but I am confident that our plan will withstand upcoming tests because this is a fiscally responsible solution that will reform our broken health care system.”

Key Points About The Baucus Health Reform Plan

•    Individuals and employers who are satisfied with their current health insurance coverage can keep it and would not be required to change health plans.

•    Members of Congress will be required to buy their health insurance through the same exchanges that people in their own states will use, instead of having a separate Congressional health plan.

•    No Montanan can be denied health insurance or charged more because of a pre-existing health condition.

•    Health insurance companies will not be able to discriminate on the basis of gender or health status -- so insurance companies can’t charge more for women or Montanans who are sick.

•    The plan is fully paid for and begins to reduce the federal deficit within ten years.

•    Health insurance companies will no longer receive tax deductions if they give their executives excessive salaries and compensation.

•    Health insurance companies will no longer be able to limit how much coverage you can use over your lifetime or how many benefits you can use each year.

•    The bill specifically says there will be no Medicare benefit cuts for individuals.  In fact, it strengthens Medicare’s finances so the program can continue to provide benefits for years to come.

•    Low-and middle-income seniors will get 50 percent of their drug costs paid for when they reach the so-called doughnut hole in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, where no coverage is provided today.

Opening Statement of Senator Max Baucus at today’s Mark-Up of the America’s Healthy Future Act (as prepared):

Benjamin Franklin said:

“Well done is better than well said.”

Now pretty much everything’s been said.  Now it’s time to get the job done.

The costs of inaction are clear.  Americans simply cannot afford the status quo.

Americans are looking for common-sense solutions.  Americans want a balanced plan that takes the best ideas from both sides.  And Americans want us to craft a package that will get the 60 votes that it needs to pass.

For 2 years now, that’s exactly what we have been doing, in this Committee.

Over the last two years, we held 20 hearings on health care.  Last June, we held a health care summit at the Library of Congress.

We held three roundtable discussions with experts on each of the three major areas of reform:  health care delivery, coverage, and how to pay for it.  In connection with each roundtable, we put out detailed option papers.  And then we held three walk-throughs to hash out those options.

Six Members of the Committee — three Republicans and three Democrats — held 31 meetings to try to come to a consensus.  We held exhaustive meetings.  We met for more than 61 hours.  We went the extra mile.

And now, we’ve held an open and exhaustive markup.  I put out the mark and posted it on the Web on September 16.  That was nearly a week before we started the markup.

In a first for this Committee, we posted every amendment — all 564 of them — on the Web.

Today’s session to report our bill is our eighth day of meeting.  Many of those days were long days.  It’s been more than 22 years since the Finance Committee met for eight days on a single bill.

Senators offered and the Committee considered 135 amendments.  We conducted 79 roll-call votes.  And we adopted 41 amendments.

Now, the scores are in.  And I am proud to say that our bill passes the test.

Ours is a balanced package.  It starts reducing the deficit within 10 years.  By the end of the 10-year window, it’s moving in the right direction.  It reduces the deficit by $81 billion over 10 years. 

And our package would control health care spending in the long run.  CBO said that in the second 10 years, our bill would continue to reduce the deficit by a quarter to a half a percent of GDP.  That’s anywhere from $450 to nearly $900 billion in deficit reduction.

All Americans should have access to affordable, quality health care coverage.  Our bill would raise the share of Americans with insurance coverage from about 83 percent to 94 percent. 

Our bill would deliver coverage to 23 million Americans through new insurance exchanges, and to 14 million more new enrollees through Medicaid.

Our bill would dramatically increase prevention and wellness.  It would begin shifting health care delivery to the quality of care provided, not the quantity of services rendered.  It would lower prescription drug costs dramatically for seniors.

Folks who are satisfied with their current health insurance coverage could keep it.  People would not be required to change health plans.
 
Our bill would reform the insurance market.  No individual could be denied insurance coverage or charged more because of a pre-existing health condition.
 
Our bill would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating on the basis of gender or health status.  Insurance companies could no longer charge women more, or charge more if someone’s been sick.

Our bill would require insurance companies to renew policies as long as policyholders paid their premiums.  No longer would insurance companies be able to drop coverage when people get sick.

In our plan as amended, Members of Congress would be required to buy their health insurance through the same exchanges that people in their own states would use.

Ours is a balanced plan that can pass the Senate.  Our bill should win the support of Republicans and Democrats alike.  Now the choice is up to Senators on this Committee.
My Colleagues, this is our opportunity to make history.  Our actions here will determine whether we extend better health care to more Americans.

Ben Franklin said that “well done is better than well said.”  Senators, now is the time that will tell whether things are merely said, or whether something is actually done.  Now is the time to get this done.

Let us enact this balanced, common-sense plan to improve health care.  Let us reform the health care system to control costs and premiums.  And let us extend health care coverage to all Americans.

-30-