[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Ms. PINGREE of Maine asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Madam Speaker, I couldn't be more pleased to 
have spent the last year and a few months working on this issue and to 
be here this month where we may get the opportunity to vote on this 
bill.
  Because I want to tell you, Madam Speaker, what I hear from my 
constituents is get this bill done. When are you going to move forward 
on this? It is not a perfect bill. In fact, 50 percent of the doctors 
in my State wish we were passing a single-payer health care bill. But 
this is going to go a long way.
  We have heard a lot of talk about process. When are we going to talk 
about the process of insurance companies? The process that denies my 
constituents coverage because of a preexisting condition. The times I 
hear from people who say their health care was cut off. And in my 
State, where Anthem Blue Cross wants to continually raise rates. You 
know, last year they asked for a 23 percent increase. When our 
insurance commissioner said no, you know what they did? They sued the 
State of Maine.
  Well, I am ready to make sure that we are standing for our 
constituents, passing this health care bill, and doing away with the 
bad process of the insurance companies.

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