Gov. Report Confirms Increased Health Care Costs and Dropped Coverage

(West Columbia, SC) - Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) today released the following statement after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report highlighting the fact that the government health care takeover will increase health care costs, hurt seniors, and put employers in a position to drop employee coverage:

"This report confirms what the American people warned us about for over a year: A government takeover of health care will hurt seniors, skyrocket costs, and force employers to drop coverage. Anxious citizens brought these principle concerns to their lawmakers in Washington - only to be ignored by the liberal majority," said Congressman Joe Wilson.

According to the report, national health care costs will increase by $311 billion over the next ten years and will force millions of seniors off of their current Medicare coverage. The Hill newspaper also reports today on how the report suggests that some employers will stop offering health care benefits to their employees.

"Dropped coverage and increased costs is not what the American people had in mind when it came to health care reform. It is time to SWAP this government health care takeover for a patient-centered and affordable solution that expands access and continues to cover pre-existing conditions."

Congressman Wilson continues to encourage Speaker Pelosi and other liberal leaders to listen to the will of the people and repeal the government health care takeover and work

to bring forward bipartisan health insurance reform to lower costs and expand access.

One such proposal is Congressman Wilson's Siding With America's Patients (SWAP) Actthat repeals the government health care takeover and replaces it with an alternative that welcomes portability, shopping across state lines, and protection of current health plans.

###