Improve health care for Nebraskans, don't take it away

February 2, 2011 - Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson made these comments today on his weekly conference call with members of the Nebraska media concerning the health reform law:

"There's a lot of talk these days in Congress about the health reform law and some votes today. I will vote to remove the IRS 1099 provision because it imposes a needless burden on small businesses and we need to fix that as soon as possible," said Senator Nelson.

"I want to be clear: I continue to support the health reform law because it is the right thing to do for Nebraska. There are a lot of good parts in the bill and some that I will work to improve.

"There are those who want to repeal the law, and I won't support repeal when there's a vote to do so. The repealers already have health care. But they're ready, willing and eager to take it away from hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans.

"This week, I'd note, a judge who already has health insurance, indicated the need for health reform. In his ruling, Florida Judge Roger Vinson wrote:

'This has been a difficult decision to reach, and I am aware that it will have indeterminable implications At a time when there is virtually unanimous agreement that health care reform is needed in this country, it is hard to invalidate and strike down a statute titled "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.'

"Who wants to go backwards and tell 220,000 Nebraskan they can't have health insurance? Who wants to deny young adults coverage on their parents' plan? Who wants to deny children health insurance because they have pre-existing medical conditions?

"Who wants to see Nebraskans forced into bankruptcy, or have to choose between selling their home, or paying for medical care?

"Who wants to see all Nebraskans health care costs continue rising every year by double digits or more, with no relief in sight? And who wants to send the tax collector out to take the money back from seniors who've gotten money to help them with their Medicare prescription drug benefit? That's what this is about.

"I recently heard from Linda Leising of Arapahoe, Nebraska, a town of 1,000 people just 45 minutes east of my hometown of McCook. She wrote:

'I have a 23 year old daughter who had a grand mal seizure for the first time in January 2009. She is currently on anti-seizure medication. She has never had another one and we do not know what caused the first. She will graduate from college in May of 2011. Under the new guidelines, she can stay on our health insurance, which is a group plan through my place of employment. Under the old guidelines, she would be required to go off our plan at graduation and purchase her own insurance. However, with a pre-existing condition, she may not be able to afford it. If my daughter does not have coverage and something would happen, seizure or otherwise, who would pick up the bills if she is not insured? Wouldn't you rather she be on our insurance and covered, than have the government or health care facilities have to pick the bill?'

"Linda's daughter is one of an estimated 5,800 young adults in Nebraska alone who may be able to stay, and many of them already are, on their parents plan until they turn 26 or until they get coverage from some other source such as finding a job. But that's thanks to health care reform. I've heard many other stories like Linda's from Nebraskans benefiting from health reform already.

"These folks include the 6,000 seniors who've claimed their $250 rebate for hitting the Medicare Part D donut hole. Also, the 38,000 small businesses in Nebraska eligible for the new health insurance tax credit they can use to cover their employees for the first time.

"We need to improve the law, not throw it out. So, the question is about those who have health insurance back here right now who are perfectly willing, ready and are likely to vote tonight to take it away from those who don't have it. Odd."