The United States has the most expensive health care system in the world in terms of absolute costs, per capita costs, and percentage of gross domestic product. Yet despite the fact that we spend more on health care than any other industrialized nation, too many of our citizens cannot access the very medical care that America has long been a leader in providing.

Today, approximately 46 million Americans lack health insurance coverage - leaving one in six Americans without access to proper medical care. In Rhode Island, a state that has a strong record of providing health insurance through public and private partnerships, over 100,000 individuals are uninsured, of which 16,000 are children. As the cost of health care continues to rise, it imposes an increasing burden on our families, places American employers at a competitive disadvantage and creates significant fiscal challenges to balancing our federal and state budgets.

One of my top priorities as a Member of Congress is creating a system of universal health care that increases quality, affordability, efficiency and choice for families and businesses across America. We must also strengthen our public health and safety net programs, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' programs; promote a strong and sustainable health care workforce; and encourage investment into innovative research and technology.

Universal Health Care

I have been a longtime advocate of establishing a system of universal health care that guarantees every American access to quality, affordable health insurance regardless of income, age, employment or health status. As Congress develops legislation to achieve much needed comprehensive health reform, I believe a final proposal must be based on the following principles:

• Universal Coverage - Guaranteed access to coverage regardless of health status or preexisting condition
• Choice - Preserved choice of doctors and health plans
• Quality - Improved patient safety and quality of care
• Affordability - Affordable coverage for individuals and employers
• Portability - Continued coverage when you change or lose your job
• Prevention - Investment in prevention and wellness
• Sustainability - Reduction in long-term growth of health care costs for businesses and government

The American Health Benefits Program

I am pleased to contribute to the ongoing dialogue and have reintroduced the American Health Benefits Program Act (H.R. 2399), a universal health care proposal designed to guarantee every American access to the same coverage as members of Congress.

This proposal is modeled after the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which currently provides health insurance to more than 8 million Federal employees, retirees and their dependents. The proposal is designed to leverage the power of the Federal government to negotiate with private insurance carriers and offer enrollees a wide range of health insurance options. Under this program, no one would be denied coverage or discriminated against based on their health status or pre-existing condition. Insurance plans would compete for enrollees based on quality, efficiency, service and price.

I strongly believe that it is time for policymakers to come together and create a new vision for American health care - one that contains costs, improves quality, increases efficiency, promotes wellness, guarantees universal coverage and encourages investment in treatments and cures for the 21st Century.

Click here for detailed information about the American Health Benefits Program.

Children's Health Care

Our children are our most precious resources, and it is crucial that we provide them with the health care services they both require and deserve. Since 1997, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has successfully provided health coverage to millions of low income children across the country who would not otherwise be able to access these services. However, too many children and their families remain without access to proper health services.

To address this, I was pleased to support H.R. 2, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), which was signed into law by President Obama on February 4, 2009. This bill expands coverage to 11 million children by reauthorizing SCHIP for four and a half years and providing coverage for an additional 4 million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid. It also improves SCHIP by ensuring dental coverage for children, mental health services on par with medical and surgical benefits, as well as improved access to private coverage options through premium assistance subsidies.

Strengthening Medicare

The Medicare system was established in 1965 because the private health care industry was unable to provide adequate health coverage for the elderly and disabled citizens of our nation. The virtue of the current Medicare system is that it guarantees health care to the most vulnerable members of our society.

We must take meaningful action to ensure a strong and sustainable Medicare program that provides our seniors with the health care they deserve. On July 15, 2008, Congress passed the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act. This measure included a number of important provisions, including increased access to low income assistance, additional supports for rural providers and beneficiaries, and an extension of access to therapy services through 2009. Additionally, it delayed a scheduled 10.6 percent payment cut to Medicare physicians. Although this legislative fix is temporary, it will help ensure that access to care is not compromised and physicians can continue serving our most vulnerable populations. In the mean time, we must use this as an opportunity to find a permanent solution for the flawed physician reimbursement formula so that it more accurately represents the costs of providing care in the current market.

Also included in this legislation was a provision to improve Medicare's competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment. Although competitive bidding was instituted to reduce spending within the already overburdened Medicare system, serious concerns have been raised over the implementation and potential consequences of this program. This bill delayed the implementation of the competitive bidding program for one year, while making necessary improvements to the bidding process and establishing quality standards for suppliers. This will constitute an important step towards a more efficient system that maintains quality and access for Medicare beneficiaries.

Making Prescription Drugs Safe and Affordable

Americans pay 30 to 300 percent more for prescriptions than citizens of other industrialized countries. The main reason is that other countries engage in cost-control measures, such as the use of bulk purchasing power, to keep drug prices down. The high cost has taken a heavy toll, primarily on American seniors.

I have been a strong supporter of legislation to allow Medicare to use its bulk purchasing power to negotiate fair prices for prescription drugs on behalf of beneficiaries. Price negotiation is already practiced by the Veterans Administration and the Medicaid program. Medicare price negotiation could result in tremendous savings for consumers and the government, allowing Medicare money to be used more efficiently. The reinvestment of these savings could help strengthen the Medicare prescription drug benefit by reducing or eliminating the doughnut hole.

I also support the reimportantion of life-saving medications at significantly reduced costs from certain industrialized nations. Since consumer safety is of paramount concern, any prescription reimportation policy must also include strict oversight by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and be restricted to FDA-approved drugs from FDA-approved facilities.

As prescription drugs are one of the fastest growing components of health care spending, we cannot address the health care crisis without addressing the reasons behind these cost increases. I will continue to fight for reduced prescription drug costs for all Americans, as well as increased safety and oversight of new and existing medications in the market.

Supporting Innovative Health Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency charged with conducting and supporting medical research. Projects funded by NIH represent opportunities to understand diseases, improve health, and open the way for future progress in medical research. They provide us with the knowledge needed to understand - and ultimately to control or defeat - cancer, Parkinson's, diabetes, and many other ailments, diseases and conditions. This research also plays a key role in preparing the nation for incidents of bioterrorism. During my time in Congress, I have been proud to advocate strongly for funding increases at NIH. Furthermore, I support efforts to invest in pioneering research in the Veterans Administration's Office of Research and Development, which plays a key role in advancing knowledge and promoting innovations that improve the health and care of veterans and the nation.

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