Congressman Sherrod Brown speaks out about health insurance

From Lima News:

LIMA -- Congressman Sherrod Brown spoke up against Republication legislation that he believes will cut out health insurance coverage for millions in Ohio at a news conference Sunday.

  Brown, D-Lorain County, spoke at Medi-Lab East on Bellefontaine Avenue. About 12 people attended to listen.

  "Congress wants to pass a bill that they say will help small businesses but, it will take away the patient protections in health insurance. So, you could buy health insurance and find out with the small print that you don't have maternity care, you don't have emergency room care, you don't have mental health treatment and you don't have breast, cervical and prostate can-cer treatment," Brown said.

What he proposes instead is a plan that will benefit both the small business and its employees.

"What we want to do instead is pass legislation to allow small businesses to buy into the fed-eral employee benefits plan, the plan available to federal employees, and give them a 25 per-cent tax credit so the insurance for all of their employees will be accessible and affordable," he said.

Brown said he chose to speak at Medi-Lab because it has serviced many low-income people who don't have health care coverage.

Connie Miller, who owns an insurance company that specializes in small business and indi-vidual health insurance came in support of Brown's plan.

"If we want to maintain the current system, and I think the majority of people do, we have to do something to be able to provide coverage for the people with the chronic illnesses. They can't buy health insurance coverage at any cost," she said.

Brown is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Mike DeWine, who is Republican.

04/03/2006 / Permalink / Enzi Bill, Health Care, Seniors, (all tags)