Robin Carnahan Statement on Health Care Reform December 24th 2009

For Immediate Release:
December 24, 2009

Contact:
Linden Zakula (314) 367-2004

St. Louis, MO – U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan released the following statement today regarding health care reform passing the U.S. Senate early this morning:

Like so many Missouri families, I understand the importance of health care in a very personal way; and as a breast cancer survivor, I understand that it is not a partisan issue.

From day one, I made it clear that hard hit middle class Missourians need health care reform that provides accessible, affordable and stable health care for our families and small businesses.  For too long, big insurance companies have been raking in profits while the rest of us are left holding the bag—it’s long past time to help Missouri families.

While more needs to be done to get tough on insurance companies by creating more competition to drive down costs for all consumers, this legislation takes important steps to stop insurance companies from denying people insurance due to preexisting conditions, and to insure nearly 800,000 more Missourians.

The alterative offered by Congressman Blunt, not only would increase premiums and push more Missourians onto the rolls of the uninsured but it also would let insurance companies continue their worst abuses like denying Missourians the care they need for the sake of profits. That is completely unacceptable.