Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's Healthcare Remarks
"Thank you Governor Healey for your introduction, and thank you for your work and counsel on this bill."
"This is an impressive sight, not because of how many are here, but because of who is here. There are hospitals, insurers, advocates, legislators, educators, administrators, doctors and nurses, business and community leaders, officials and citizens. You represent almost every institution in the Commonwealth that touches healthcare. And Massachusetts healthcare institutions-in the broadest sense-and their leaders and people are probably the most respected in the entire world. Many of you were critical to crafting and coaxing the bold healthcare initiative I will soon sign. All of you will be part of making certain that this initiative helps our citizens, helps our healthcare system, and helps our Commonwealth."
"I want to thank the many, many parents of this initiative."
"Let me mention a few by name and just a tiny part of their contributions. First, US Health and Human Services Secretaries Tommy Thompson and Michael Leavitt and their dedicated and cooperative staff-including CMS Director Dennis Smith, who is here with us today. They authorized the $385 million for 3 years, without which this bill would never have happened."
"Senator Kennedy. Together, we pitched the Secretaries on our vision to insure all our citizens and on the need for federal support to make the vision real. His work in Washington and behind the scenes on Beacon Hill was essential. Of course, the last time Senator Kennedy and I were on this stage, it was for a debate. I feel a bit like the Titanic coming back to visit the iceberg."
"President Travaglini was the first to make the expansion of health insurance a legislative priority. He put the ball in play and pushed it along when there wasn't much movement. He brought essential reforms to our insurance laws and insisted that information about the cost and quality of healthcare be made available to consumers. And he made sure that our providers, and particularly those who care for the poor, were themselves kept healthy and strong."
"Speaker DiMasi endorsed the individual mandate and the Connector, key to providing health insurance to all our citizens. He insisted that Medicaid rate increases be tied to improving quality and efficiencies. He introduced needed reforms to the uncompensated care pool, assuring the integrity and solvency of this final layer in our healthcare safety net."
"Let me mention as well the legislators and staff who worked with the President and the Speaker. Names like Moore, Murray, Lees, Walrath, Mariano, and Hargraves may not be as familiar as ours but their work was as dedicated and valuable."
"There were contributors from outside government. Jonathan Gruber of MIT devoted hours and hours to an essential econometric model. Alden Bianchi of Mintz Levin provided invaluable legal advice to navigate federal and state law. Actuaries and professionals at health insurers collaborated on the analysis, and their executives helped architect and troubleshoot. And special thanks as well to the Heritage Foundation. Two of its scholars are the ones who helped design and craft what we now call the Connector which is the centerpiece of the insurance reforms. We'll hear from one of them, Dr. Bob Moffit, in just a few moments."
"In particular, I want to thank Secretary Tim Murphy and Cindy Gillespie. Secretary Murphy was the lead analytical mind, the problem solver, the honest broker, and in many respects, the author of the bill I filed. Cindy Gillespie is the person who kept our dream from vanishing. Over the last three years, internal obstacles and bureaucratic molasses threatened this whole enterprise. In Washington and in Boston, she found new approaches, new alliances, and new avenues to do what seemed impossible. Cindy and Secretary Murphy were supported by other key members of the administration like Administration and Finance Secretary Tom Trimarco and HHS Deputy Director Brian Wheelan."
"What's remarkable to me is that such a disparate group of people have come to a workable consensus."
"My son said that having Senator Kennedy and me together like this on a landmark piece of legislation will help slow global warming, now that hell has frozen over."
"Of course, the bill isn't 100 percent of what anyone in this room wanted. But the differences between us are relatively small. What is noteworthy is the uncharacteristic collaboration of so many individuals and groups and partisans."
"And how did that happen? I think it is because of what this bill can lead to: every citizen with affordable, comprehensive health insurance; small businesses able to conveniently buy insurance for their employees at a cost that's competitive with big businesses; medical transparency, bringing marketplace dynamics to healthcare, really for the first time; and finally beginning to rein in health inflation."
"Yes, there's a lot more work ahead and there are no guarantees when you set off on such a bold path. But Massachusetts, once again, is taking a leap forward. And it's our faith in you that gives us the confidence to do it."
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Guvernatorul Massachusetts Mitt Romney a Healthcare Observaþii - Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's Healthcare Remarks - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate