Sen. Al Franken delivers major health care speech on Senate floor
U.S. Sen. Al Franken today (Nov. 3) delivered a major speech on health care reform on the Senate floor.
Democrat Franken said now is the moment “to meet this great moral and economic challenge.”
Franken spoke of the need for a public option — those who oppose one, “don’t choose it for yourself,” he said.
He spoke of the need to end letting insurance companies deny coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions.
“As an older woman told me at the State Fair this summer, ‘At my age, everything is pre-existing.’” he said.
Franken trumpeted health care reforms already in place in Minnesota, going to say one piece of legislation he was sponsoring would mandate that health care providers must target at least ninety percent of their funds to health care delivery, not wages, administrative costs, advertising.
He further highlighted his push for standardized medical forms, arguing medical forms are purposefully crafted to be complicated as to produce errors and reasons for denying coverage.
“You know who will like this, doctors,” said Franken of standard forms, citing the hours doctors spend filling out insurance forms.
“Yes, this is complicated stuff,” Franken said of the health care debate.
But Franken asked that lawmakers not inject a fear factor into it.
“There is no issue I hear more about than health care. Minnesotans stop me everywhere I go to tell me their stories. I felt it was important to bring their words and their concerns to the floor of the Senate,” said Franken.
He went on:
“I’m proud of what we’re doing in Minnesota – with institutions that are delivering care efficiently and effectively,” he said.
“But I recognize the truth of something one health economist said to me at a health care roundtable I held in Minneapolis. He said, ‘Minnesota gets an “A”…. but only because we’re grading on a curve,’” said Franken.
“There is huge room for improvement all across America,” he concluded.
Franken spoke same day other members of the Minnesota delegation also spoke.
Representatives Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, and Erik Paulsen, R-Eden Prairie, rose on the House floor to speak against health care reform legislation in the that body.
Paulsen argued the Democratic House legislation would result in tax increases — don’t “ramp through” a 2,000 page bill without adequate debate, he argued.
Bachmann spoke of the need for a “positive alternative” to the Democratic offering.
Sentor Franken I am a independant voter and a small business employer in minnnesota. Let me assure you that all of you that are voting for this health care reform vote that you have not read nor can it be understood completely will be part of a wave that I have not participated in the past but will. You and many others will not serve another term. This is poor peice of legislation that will ignore the wishes of the majority of your constituents which you will see the next election through results and make you and others one hit wonders. Before you make the mistake and back this further please listen and hold a bunch of town halls and see what you are up against. Don’t make a regretable mistake and ignore those that voted for you to do what the majority wants this is not what I have seen from you on this subject. Please listen to the people and not the politicians like you are currently.
I would suggest that our senators and house members abstain from taking money from the
health insurance industry while the costs to insureds remain high. I would also like them
to refuse their group insurance plan as it is being offered and go back to their home
states to purchase coverage for themselves and their spouses. While they are doing this
they can also refuse the pension we pay for until we get pension reform. The senators and house members obstructing any positive changes are also those with their hands out.