Health Care Reform

To read the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, please click here.

To visit the House Rules Committee Web site, please click here. 

To read the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009, H.R. 3961, please click here.

  Access to quality, affordable health care is critical to the well being of America, today and in the future. Central to this is addressing the needs of the 46 million uninsured Americans, strengthening the Medicare system, providing health insurance to our low-income children, and funding cutting-edge research into cures for diseases. Only through action on these critical issues can we meet the pressing health care concerns of our nation. 

Reform for our nation’s health system is vital and long overdue.  In a country that spends $2 trillion a year for health care, more than 46 million people - including close to 9 million children - are currently living without even the most basic health care services.  Texas has the highest rate of uninsured in the nation with a shocking rate of 24.8 percent, compared to the national average of 15.5 percent.  In my home district in South Texas, the uninsured rate is even more dismal – between 23-27 percent.  This must change.

Every American should have access to an affordable health insurance plan of his or her choice. H.R. 3962 Affordable Health Care for America Act, creates a new health insurance exchange in which individuals have access to affordable health insurance coverage from a public or private plan.  By helping uninsured Americans obtain coverage, we can reduce long-term medical costs and begin to bring our country’s healthcare expenditures out of the red.  Most importantly, this is our opportunity to make a lasting investment in the health and well-being of our most vulnerable communities.

The House version of the legislation will promote preventive care by canceling out co-pays or deductibles, capping annual out-of-pocket expenses, and eliminating rate increases based on pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation.  It will also allow individuals to join a national pool if they must purchase their own plans and promotes healthy beginnings by providing affordable oral and vision care for all children. While there is still progress to be made in refining this bill, Congressman Ortiz is strongly committed to enacting legislation that empowers every American to take charge of their healthcare by providing them with greater freedom to choose the plan and provider that best meets their family’s needs.