Says cutting costs preserving doctor-patient relationship are keys to real reform
WASHINGTONU.S. Sen. John Cornyn a member of the Senate Finance Committee made the following statement today regarding health care reform and the deal President Obama reportedly made with various special interest groups to voluntarily" cut costs.
Skyrocketing health care costs are the number one concern of many American families and job creators. I am committed to working in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that everyone has access to quality affordable health care. Patients should have the right to choose their own doctors. We must increase transparency and choice so patients can become an equal partner in health care decisions. Americans deserve higher value for their health care dollars including a focus on prevention and wellness.
The patient has been left out of the Administrations backroom deal with special interests. No one knows how the alleged savings will be measured or enforced or even if they will actually show up in lower health care costs for taxpayers businesses and families. It is a desperate attempt to detract attention away from the estimated $1.5 trillion price tag for a Washington takeover of the health care system.
The American people deserve real solutions to our health care crisis not another special interest working group."
Background
Sen. Cornyn recently published the following op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman outlining the way forward to reform Americas health care system and make health care more affordable for Texans which can be accessed here.
Sen. Cornyn has also helped introduce the following bills in the U.S. Senate this year:
- WHIP Act helps small businesses provide wellness benefits to their workers by correcting an inequity in the tax code. The WHIP Act not only reaffirms the right of employers to deduct the cost of providing off-site fitness center benefits to their workers but it would also allow employees to exclude up to $900 of the off-site wellness benefit they receive from being considered taxable income.
- Healthy Workforce Act provides a tax credit to companies that offer effective and comprehensive wellness programs. The legislation would permit businesses to receive a credit for incorporating sound employee health management practices into their plan design and would significantly ease barriers for both small and mid-sized employers to make a sound investment.
