Current health care reform proposal will not effect the needed changes: Business Roundtable

“As providers of health care insurance to more than 35 million Americans, the members of Business Roundtable have consistently taken a fact-based approach to advancing and supporting health care reform proposals. Throughout this discussion, we have remained engaged participants, contributing both data and ideas to help reduce health care costs and expand access to coverage for all Americans.

“Based on our experience and research, the current health care reform proposal being considered by the Senate will not effect the needed changes to measurably improve the American health care system. Specifically, two of the bill’s provisions will increase costs for employers and, in so doing, threaten the coverage of 177 million Americans who obtain insurance through the workplace: the government-run plan and the new taxes on devices, drugs and insurance. The employer costs associated with these items will jeopardize not only millions of workers’ coverage, but also the competitiveness of America’s companies in the global marketplace.

“We are also concerned that the current proposals miss several key opportunities to reduce costs, most notably medical liability reform.

“We remain committed to working with Congress and the White House to enact health care reform legislation that expands access to coverage for all Americans and achieves real and permanent cost cuts in the system,” said John J. Castellani, President of Business Roundtable.