Rep. Reed Breaks with GOP to Defend Pre-Existing Conditions

Transcript:

Congressman Reed: What the lawsuit represents is an attacking on the pre- existing condition's. That is something I don't support – and I understand the constitutional argument and what we're dealing with is a case coming through the Texas court... and it reaffirms to me that we need to deal with this issue... We need to legislatively come up with solutions to the problems of health care. That's where the work we're doing in the Problem Solvers Caucus. For example, I co-chair on the Republican side a – 24 Democratic members and (a 24) Republican member (caucus) who come together and put together proposals to solve problems. And we did this on the individual marketplace in healthcare. That's the type of effort I'm more supportive of. Let's go through the process of legislating and engage the American people in an honest debate. As I travel the country, I hear the exact same concerns echoed by our folks of Western New York – costs continue to go through the roof, health care costs, and then correspondingly health insurance costs go up. We need to come to solutions that are going to drive these costs down.

Soledad O'Brien: But if there's an effort to get rid of the protections for people with pre-existing conditions- I think it would be devastating politically – not counting people who are on Medicare – there are 300,000 people in your district who have preexisting conditions. Obviously, that's an -- that's an estimate. How have they been talking to you about how they feel about this, and how are you – how much are you concerned politically?

Congressman Reed: Well, I never really put politics first… But it's really about solving problems for people. I mean, I'm the father of a type 1 diabetic, diagnosed at four, is now 18 going off to college. You know if you're going to wipe the protections of pre-existing conditions of the book, you're going to impact people like my son, and I get that. That is why this is not the path to take in regard to removing the pre-existing condition… I'm trying to be a voice to say it's not about who has power – It's about the American people. It's about the American people who suffer while this town plays this game of power politics. And I'm sick and tired of that too. That's why I co-chair the problem solvers caucus. That's why I'm willing to embrace and engage in some very contentious, honest disagreements, because we need to do more of that.

Contact:  William Reinert, [email protected]

SOURCE Rep. Tom Reed