Durbin emphasizes importance of health reform passage
Springfield State Journal-Register
March 14, 2010
By RHYS SAUNDERS THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., stressed the importance of the House of
Representatives passing the Senate’s health-care reform and
reconciliation bills during a news conference at his home Sunday.
The overhaul would extend coverage to more than 30 million uninsured
Americans and ban insurance practices such as refusing coverage to
people with pre-existing medical conditions.
“I think it’s a good step forward to start providing competition and
choice for small businesses when it comes to health insurance and to try
to address the skyrocketing costs,” Durbin said of health-care reform.
The senator also noted that health insurance premiums in Illinois recently have gone up 60 percent in some cases.
“This is unsustainable,” Durbin said.
Durbin said the bills also would increase the number of health-care
clinics throughout the state, more than doubling the number currently in
existence.
“We are trying to make sure that we work with governors who are trying
to get their state budgets back on track,” Durbin said. “It’ll be five,
six or seven years before all of this happens.”
