Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

What Hank has done:

*As Southeast Regional Whip during the 111th Congress, helped lead passage of President Obama's historic health care reform legislation.

*As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee's Competition Policy Subcommittee during the 111th Congress, co-authored provisions of the health care reform legislation in the House of Representatives that removed the insurance industry's immunity to anti-trust regulation.

*Actively defended Georgia's critical PeachCare children's healthcare program.

*Voted for the successful bill that directs the federal government to negotiate lower Medicare drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, and urged Medicare to re-examine its specialty-tier drug system.

What Hank will do:

*Ensure that the health care reform legislation is implemented such that it protects consumers and empowers ordinary Americans seeking affordable health insurance.

*Continue to pursue additional funds for Georgia's critical PeachCare program.

*Continue to support a public option to counter insurance industry price gouging.

* Introduced the "Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2011" -- H.R. 528 -- which would require Health and Human Services to report to Congress annually on the impact of parasitic diseases -- mostly in poor, minority populations along the U.S.-Mexico border, the rural South, Appalachia and distressed urban areas -- to address their threat and make funding recommendations on how to eradicate them.

*Continue to support investment in health care research.

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