FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2010                                          click here for PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt ▪ 651-287-0575 work ▪ 651-357-8544 cell       

By voting against the health care reform legislation, U.S. Reps. Michele Bachmann, John Kline, Erik Paulsen and Collin Peterson chose to side with insurance companies over countless Minnesota families, small businesses, doctors and seniors who will see huge benefits from the reforms. The callous move shows that Reps. Bachmann, Kline, Paulsen and Peterson are more interested in protecting insurance industry greed than in making health care more affordable for working families, lowering prescription drug costs, and providing aid for doctors and small businesses.

“Minnesota residents, small business owners, doctors and seniors are outraged that these members of Congress sided with insurance companies over the rest of us,” said Eliot Seide, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 5. “The health care reform legislation means lower insurance costs, help for providers and small businesses and an end to the so-called “donut hole” in seniors’ prescription drug coverage. We’ll never forget where these members of Congress stood on this historic day—with the insurance companies.”

“Double digit insurance rate hikes, arbitrarily denying patients with life-threatening illnesses – that’s the status quo that Reps. Bachmann, Kline, Paulsen and Peterson voted for,” said Steve Preble, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 65. “Make no mistake about it—on Sunday, these members of Congress voted to stand with insurance companies over doctors, lower prescription drug prices, and much-needed assistance to working families and small businesses.”

According to an analysis by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, the health care reform bill approved by Congress over the weekend will have the following impact on the districts of Reps. Bachmann, Kline, Paulsen and Peterson:

Affordability
• Provide credits to help pay for coverage for up to 134,000 families in Rep. Bachmann’s district; 117,000 households in Rep. Kline’s district; 108,000 families in Rep. Paulsen’s district; and 177,000 families in Rep. Peterson’s district.

Medicare
• Improve Medicare for 80,000 seniors by closing the prescription drug donut hole in Rep. Bachmann’s district; 75,000 in Rep. Kline’s district; 87,000 seniors in Rep. Paulsen’s district; and 115,000 seniors in Rep. Peterson’s district.

Small Businesses
• Allow 16,100 small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage in Rep. Bachmann’s district; 16,300 small businesses in Rep. Kline’s district; 18,400 small businesses in Rep. Paulsen’s district; and 17,200 small businesses in Rep. Peterson’s district.

Provider Reimbursement
• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for doctors and hospitals by $35 million in Rep. Bachmann’s district; $43 million in Rep. Kline’s district; $12 million in Rep. Paulsen’s district; and $167 million in Rep. Peterson’s district.

Medical-related Bankruptcies
• Protect up to 1,400 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs in Rep. Bachmann’s district; 1,200 families in Rep. Kline’s district; 900 families in Rep. Paulsen’s district; and 700 families in Rep. Peterson’s district.

Reps. Bachmann, Kline, Paulsen and Peterson voted to deny these benefits to Minnesotans to curry favor with the insurance industry, which pulled out every stop to kill the bill in the name of profits.

“Why anyone would oppose such important and meaningful benefits to the people of Minnesota is beyond me,” said Seide. “Minnesotans are struggling enough as it is right now, it’s despicable that someone would say ‘no’ at a time like this.”

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