Perlmutter: “No is Not an Option on Health Insurance Reform”

“Our daughter has a pre-existing condition, and when she cycled off our insurance, she was denied coverage because of her condition. I know things can change and the first order is to make a motion in the direction you want to go.”
Ren Thompson, Lakewood, CO

Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), announced his support for the health insurance reform legislation scheduled to be voted on by the House of Representatives as early as Sunday.


Below is a statement from Congressman Perlmutter:


“This marks a historic time for our country to take the necessary first steps to making quality, reasonably priced health care accessible to more people for less cost. There is still work to be done, and I am committed to continuing this work. But ‘No’ is not an option. The status quo is not the answer.


At Government in the Grocery and throughout our neighborhoods in my district, I’ve heard from hundreds of my constituents who told me we cannot wait any longer to lower insurance premiums and prevent denials of care and coverage including for people with pre-existing conditions, like my daughter Alexis and Ren Thompson’s daughter. I believe what the insurance companies are doing now is unconstitutional and immoral.


This legislation guarantees 16,800 residents of the 7th CD who have pre-existing conditions obtain coverage. It reduces the deficit by $130 billion. It provides insurance coverage for 95% of Americans, including 94,000 uninsured residents in the 7th CD. And it gives tax credits and other help to 160,000 families and 17,500 small businesses to help them afford insurance coverage.


This legislation will have a direct and immediate impact on jobs in our communities by funding more health centers to serve the increased number of insured individuals.


This issue touches every person in a unique way, and because of this, there are millions of different and sometimes opposing opinions and ideas. But we have to keep moving forward, untangle the knots, and try to find cost effective ways for Americans to live healthy lives so our economy can grow and our nation can prosper again.”