Reid on new Obama health plan: “Fiscally responsible”

Following the posting today of President Barack Obama's latest push for health care reform, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., put out the following statement:

“The President’s health reform proposal brings together the best of the Senate bill and the best of the House bill in a fiscally responsible way. These ideas represent our shared commitment to put American families back in control of their own health care, drive down health care costs, rein in the practices of health insurers and improve the quality of health care in America. It also shows that we can implement these changes while reducing our deficit by $100 billion over the next decade.

“I met so many Nevadans just last week who are being crushed by skyrocketing health care costs; those Nevadans would benefit from some of the promising reforms in this proposal. One such reform would be to limit and deny unfair hikes in premium rates for consumers. In recent weeks, we’ve seen examples of how leaving these rates unchecked will continue to put a strain on the budgets of middle class families.

"Senate Democrats want to work with Republicans in a constructive way to make health reform successful. This week’s summit presents an opportunity to approach this process with a fresh perspective. Senate Democrats know the cost of inaction for the thousands of Americans who lose their health insurance every day, and our resolve remains firm to deliver meaningful health reform this year.”