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KENNEDY FIGHTS THE REPUBLICAN HEALTH PLAN THAT WILL RAISE PREMIUMS AND TAKE AWAY HEALTH BENEFITS THAT ALL AMERICANS DESERVE JOINS RALLY WITH HEALTH ADVOCATES WORKING TO DEFEAT THE BILL 224 NATIONAL GROUPS, 41 ATTORNEY GENERALS and 8 INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS OPPOSE THE BILL


Washington, DC: Today, as the Republican health bill reaches the Senate floor, Senator Kennedy led the fight to oppose it because it would raise the premiums and lower the benefits for millions of Americans who already have health coverage today. Although the bill has been presented as legislation for small businesses, the effects of this bill go far beyond the “small business plans” and would sweep away important protections for patients in every state-regulated insurance market. Senator Kennedy opposes the plan and his colleagues have offered an alternative bill to give small business real help and assistance to provide meaningful health coverage. “The bill the Senate considers today undermines our progress on healthcare,” Senator Kennedy said. “Its supporters say that the legislation is about helping small business. But the legislation the Senateconsiders today isn’t an advance – it’s a retreat. It’s a retreat from our commitment to cancer. It’s a retreat from our commitment to diabetes. It’s a retreat from our commitment to mental health parity. We're here today to say that quality, affordable health care should be the right of each and every American.” Kennedy joined a rally of leading health advocacy groups who are working to defeat the bill because it is a major step backwards in the effort to provide better healthcare in this country. In addition to the advocates, forty-one attorney generals and eighteen Insurance Commissioners oppose the bill. Democrats have offered a comprehensive alternative S.1955. The Small Employers Health Benefits Plan (S.2510) would allow small businesses with up to 100 employees to band together for lower health care prices by pooling their purchasing power and spreading their risk over a large number of participants.Attached is Senator Kennedy’s remarks from the press conference, a letter of opposition signed by 224 advocacy groups, and a summary of the bill.