Here's something that has gotten lost in the drive to institute universal health insurance: Health insurance doesn't automatically lead to health care. And with more and more doctors dropping out of one insurance plan or another, especially government plans, there is no guarantee that you will be able to see a physician no matter what coverage you have. Consider that the Medicare… Read more

by Stephanie Nano   NEW YORK -- One in five Medicare patients end up back in the hospital within a month of discharge, a large study found, and that practice costs billions of dollars a year. The findings suggest patients aren't told enough about how to take care of themselves and stay healthy before they go home, the researchers said. A few simple things-- like… Read more

(REMARKS AS PREPARED) Thank you, Mr. Camp, for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I anticipate that we will agree on much of what is discussed here today, and I am grateful that you called this hearing. We are going to hear about significant payment problems in the U.S. health care system, and specifically about those in Medicare.  Republicans believe, as does most every witness here today, that… Read more

(REMARKS AS PREPARED) Thank you for yielding, Mr. Chairman. It is hard to believe, but Dan Rostenkowski and Bill Archer were sitting in these chairs the last time Congress undertook comprehensive health care reform.  As we know, back then Congress and the Administration were not even close to agreeing on a path forward.  Well, more than the people sitting in these chairs have changed… Read more

Americans want Congress to pass meaningful legislation to reduce health costs, improve access to needed care, expand coverage and shore up the unstable Medicare program. Controlling rising costs remains the top priority on the health reform agenda. Rising health costs make health insurance coverage unaffordable for millions of Americans. Others face massive increases… Read more

(Remarks as Prepared) Thank you, Chairman Stark. MedPAC’s March report to Congress illustrates why we must approach health care reform very carefully and thoughtfully.  We don’t need to look any further than the Medicare program to see that the federal government has often shown itself to be incapable of accurately and appropriately administering health care programs. MedPAC… Read more

By Kevin Sack BOSTON — Three years ago, Massachusetts enacted perhaps the boldest state health care experiment in American history, bringing near-universal coverage to the commonwealth with Paul Revere speed. To make it happen, Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, made an expedient choice, deferring until another day any serious effort to control the state’s… Read more

Opening Statement of Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) Hearing on Health Reform in the 21st Century: Expanding Coverage, Improving Quality and Controlling Costs March 11, 2009 (Remarks as Prepared) Mr. Chairman, this is an important hearing following a historic meeting at the White House last week.  And, first, let me thank you for so readily turning over the microphone this… Read more

After this evening’s conference committee meeting on the stimulus bill, at which Chairman Obey indicated the Congressional Budget Office was scoring bill text, yet no bill text was provided to conferees, no amendments were allowed, and only opening statements were made, Ranking Members Camp,  Lewis, and Grassley sent the following letter to Senate Appropriations  and Stimulus Conference… Read more

Washington, DC - Ways & Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement today after passage of children’s healthcare legislation that is woefully flawed.  The legislation is a thinly-veiled attempt to push individuals onto government-run healthcare with a stealth funding mechanism that requires the program to be funded by close to 20 million new… Read more