This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 NEAL R. GROSS & CO., INC. 2 RPTS SHIPLE 3 HIF344140 4 5 6 PROPOSALS TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH 7 CARE COVERAGE 8 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019 9 House of Representatives 10 Subcommittee on Health 11 Committee on Energy and Commerce 12 Washington, D.C. 13 14 15 16 The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:30 a.m., 17 in Room 2322 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Anna G. 18 Eshoo [chairwoman of the subcommittee] presiding. 19 Members present: Representatives Eshoo, Engel, 20 Butterfield, Matsui, Castor, Sarbanes, Lujan, Schrader, 21 Kennedy, Cardenas, Welch, Ruiz, Dingell, Kuster, Kelly, 22 Barragan, Blunt Rochester, Pallone (ex officio), Burgess, 23 Shimkus, Guthrie, Griffith, Bilirakis, Long, Brooks, Hudson, 1 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 Carter, Gianforte, and Walden (ex officio). 2 Staff present: Jeff Carroll, Staff Director; Tiffany 3 Guarascio, Deputy Staff Director; Zach Kahan, Outreach and 4 Member Service Coordinator; Saha Khaterzai, Professional 5 Staff Member; Josh Krantz, Policy Analyst; Una Lee, Senior 6 Health Counsel; Aisling McDonough, Policy Coordinator; Meghan 7 Mullon, Staff Assistant; Kaitlyn Peel, Digital Director; 8 Alivia Roberts, Press Assistant; Samantha Satchell, 9 Professional Staff Member; Rebecca Tomilchik, Staff 10 Assistant; Rick Van Buren, Health Counsel; C.J. Young, Press 11 Secretary; Nolan Ahern, Minority Professional Staff, Health; 12 Margaret Tucker Fogarty, Minority Staff Assistant; Theresa 13 Gambo, Minority Human Resources/Office Administrator; Tyler 14 Greenberg, Minority Staff Assistant; Peter Kielty, Minority 15 General Counsel; Ryan Long, Minority Deputy Staff Director; 16 Kate O'Connor, Minority Chief Counsel, C&T; James 17 Paluskiewicz, Minority Chief Counsel, Health; Kristin Seum, 18 Minority Counsel, Health; and Kristen Shatynski, Minority 19 Professional Staff Member, Health. 2 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 Ms. Eshoo. Good morning, everyone. The Subcommittee on 2 Health will now come to order. The chair now recognizes 3 herself for 5 minutes for an opening statement. And welcome 4 to our colleagues that are at the table and everyone that is 5 here in the hearing room. 6 Today's hearing features House colleagues who will 7 present their legislative proposals to advance what I have 8 always called the "North Star" of the Democratic Party, and 9 that is to achieve universal health care for the American 10 people. Five members are or will be at the witness table. 11 Two representatives, Mr. Lujan and Ms. Schakowsky, will speak 12 from the committee seats and two others, Representative 13 Cedric Richmond and Representative Veasey, are submitting 14 written statements. 15 Every American should feel secure that if they get sick 16 or if they are hurt, they will receive the care they need 17 without going bankrupt. That principle is why President 18 Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law, despite the 19 protests at that time that it was "socialized medicine" and 20 the "Moscow party line." Today, Medicare covers 44 million 21 Americans and Medicaid covers 75 million Americans. 22 Our goal to achieve universal coverage motivated 23 Congress to pass the Children's Health Insurance Program in 3 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 1997. It is why President Obama signed the Affordable Care 2 Act into law in 2010, which today provides health coverage to 3 more than 20 million Americans. But we know there is more 4 work to be done to achieve universality. During our second 5 panel today, we will hear the stories of fellow Americans who 6 live in daily fear that they will lose their health care 7 because of a decision by their employer, their insurer, or 8 this President. 9 My hope rises as I see the talented colleagues before us 10 who will present their proposals and broaden our thinking. 11 That is why I specifically asked each to be here today. My 12 hope rises as I look out at doctors, nurses, and patients in 13 the audience who have dedicated their lives to achieving 14 quality health care for every American. Advent is a season 15 of hope and an appropriate time for colleagues on both sides 16 of the aisle to approach this hearing with open minds and 17 hearts, knowing that the goal is to have health care for 18 every American. 19 Shortly before his death, Senator Ted Kennedy wrote a 20 letter to President Obama about health reform and what he 21 called "that great unfinished business of our society." He 22 wrote, "what we face is, above all, a moral issue that at 23 stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental 4 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 principles of social justice and the character of our 2 country." I think we all need to reflect on that moral issue 3 today. 4 I now would like to yield the remainder of my time to 5 Congresswoman Dingell. 6 [The prepared statement of Ms. Eshoo follows:] 7 8 **********INSERT 1********** 5 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 Ms. Eshoo. Is she here? Not here? Pardon me? She is 2 on her way. Well, we are going to move on because the chair 3 is now going to recognize Dr. Burgess, the ranking member of 4 the subcommittee, for his 5 minutes for an opening statement. 5 Mr. Burgess. Actually, before I start that may I ask an 6 unanimous consent request, unanimous consent to insert into 7 the record the two letters that Mr. Walden and I sent asking 8 for this hearing earlier in the year? 9 Ms. Eshoo. So ordered. 10 [The information follows:] 11 12 **********COMMITTEE INSERT********** 6 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 Mr. Burgess. And also, I am okay with you yielding your 2 final minute and a half to Mrs. Dingell when she gets here. 3 Ms. Eshoo. Thank you. 4 Mr. Burgess. So, thank you for leading the hearing. 5 Certainly, Mr. Walden and I have requested this and we 6 requested it very early in the year and I appreciate that you 7 took our request seriously. 8 So, Chairman Pallone and Chairwoman Eshoo stated in 9 noticing this hearing that universal health care coverage has 10 long been the North Star of the Democratic Party. Every bill 11 before us today is paving the road to the North Star, if that 12 is even possible. The idea is we accomplish one-size-fits- 13 all health care. 14 Another Advent analogy, the Three Wise Men, not quite 15 the same, but I am not sure they would appreciate your 16 comparison as this North Star journey would lead our health 17 care system as we currently know it to disintegrate. If, in 18 fact, we are listening to the great philosopher, Joni 19 Mitchell, then the northern star is not very reliable as it 20 is constantly in the dark. 21 Medicare for All would eliminate private insurance, 22 employer-sponsored health insurance, Medicaid, the Children's 23 Health Insurance Program upon which many Americans depend. I 7 This is a preliminary, unedited transcript. The statements within may be inaccurate, incomplete, or misattributed to the speaker. A link to the final, official transcript will be posted on the Committee’s website as soon as it is available. 1 am concerned about the consequences for existing Medicare 2 beneficiaries. The policy would raid the Medicare trust fund 3 which is already slated to go bankrupt in 2026; this will not 4 help. Our nation's seniors have been paying into and 5 depending upon the existence of Medicare for their healthcare 6 needs in retirement for, literally, their entire lives. 7 More than 70 percent of Americans are satisfied with 8 their employer-sponsored insurance which does provide robust 9 protections. We should focus on strengthening the parts of 10 our health insurance markets that are working. However, 11 instead of building upon the success of our existing health 12 insurance framework, a one-size-fits-all policy would tear it 13 down. 14 I also feel obligated to mention, having been in the 15 healthcare provider business, the doctor business, coverage 16 does not equal care. It never has and never will.