FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
Tuesday August 25, 2009
                                                                        
OREGON GOP CHAIR: NEW HEALTH CARE BILL OF RIGHTS
SAYS REFORM SHOULD HELP AMERICA’S SENIORS
 
Portland, Ore. – Oregon Republican Party Chairman Bob Tiernan issued the following statement today about the Seniors’ Health Care Bill of Rights and the importance of protecting health care for America’s seniors and veterans.
 
“Senior citizens will face significant consequences because of President Obama’s plans to finance his government-run health care experiment by cutting over $500 billion from Medicare; which is why Oregon Republicans wholeheartedly stand behind the Seniors’ Health Care Bill of Rights.  Republicans want smart health care reform that does no harm to seniors, lowers health care costs, preserves quality care and keeps patients in charge of their health care.  But the president’s plan will do just the opposite. It is our responsibility to ensure senior citizens have access to quality health care and we need to start by protecting Medicare, keeping health care decisions between patients and their doctors, keeping the government from interfering in end-of-life decisions, outlawing any government effort to ration health care, and ensuring that we keep our obligation to care for America’s veterans.

Seniors are clearly concerned about the Democrats’ experiment with public support dropping like a rock. The people of Oregon deserve an open and honest discussion about important health care decisions. It’s time for President Obama and the Congressional Democrats to rethink funding their big-government experiment on the backs of senior citizens,” concluded Chairman Tiernan.

The Seniors’ Health Care Bill of Rights include the following principles:

SENIORS’ HEALTH CARE BILL OF RIGHTS
 
•    PROTECT MEDICARE AND NOT CUT IT IN THE NAME OF HEALTH CARE REFORM: President Obama and Congressional Democrats are promoting a government-run health care experiment that will cut over $500 billion from Medicare to be used to pay for their plan.  Medicare should not be raided to pay for another entitlement.

•    PROHIBIT GOVERNMENT FROM GETTING BETWEEN SENIORS AND THEIR DOCTORS: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment will give patients less power to control their own medical decisions, and create government boards that would decide what treatments would or wouldn’t be funded. Republicans believe in patient-centered reforms that put the priorities of seniors before government.

•    PROHIBIT EFFORTS TO RATION HEALTH CARE BASED ON AGE: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment would set up a “comparative effectiveness research commission” where health care treatment decisions could be limited based on a patient’s age. Republicans believe that health care decisions are best left up to seniors and their doctors.

•    PREVENT GOVERNMENT FROM INTERFERING WITH END-OF-LIFE CARE DISCUSSIONS: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment would have seniors meet with a doctor to discuss end-of-life care that could mean limiting treatment. Republicans believe that government should not interfere with end-of-life care discussions between a patient and a doctor.

•    ENSURE SENIORS CAN KEEP THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE: As Democrats continue to propose steep cuts to Medicare in order to pay for their government-run health care experiment, these cuts threaten millions of seniors with being forced from their current Medicare Advantage plans.  Republicans believe that seniors should not be targeted by a government-run health care bill and forced out of their current Medicare coverage.

•    PROTECT VETERANS BY PRESERVING TRICARE AND OTHER BENEFIT PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES: Democrats recently proposed raising veterans’ costs for the Tricare For Life program that many veterans rely on for treatment. Republicans oppose increasing the burden on our veterans and believe America should honor our promises to them.
Go to the Oregon Republican Party website to read the complete Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights.
 
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