Mr. Speaker, if the government’s handling of the outbreak of H1N1 flu, known as swine flu, is any indication of how it will administer a public health care option, we should all be greatly concerned.
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On Tuesday, October 27, 2009, Representative Michael R. Turner (Ohio-3) delivered the following statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives:

Mr. Speaker, if the government’s handling of the outbreak of H1N1 flu, known as swine flu, is any indication of how it will administer a public health care option, we should all be greatly concerned. With the media reporting that lines of hundreds of people wait for H1N1 vaccinations, and that it took a Presidential national emergency declaration just to cut through the bureaucratic red tape.

If this Congress is serious about health care reform, why not start with simple principles on which most of us can agree, such as prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions, portability of health care coverage, investing in medical research to ensure quality care, deductibility of health insurance premiums, ensuring access to health savings accounts, limiting frivolous lawsuits which raise health care costs, and allowing small businesses to group together to negotiate insurance plans.  

Instead of the President’s sweeping overhaul, which will likely result in pitfalls, we should look at simple reforms to adhere to mutually agreed upon principles ensuring that those who have health insurance can keep it and those who don’t can obtain it.