Real health care reform for all Montanans

When I was home during the whole month of August, I talked with people across the state about their health care concerns and experiences. I talked to a young woman struggling to pay rent while paying for her expensive prescription drugs out of her own pocket.

I heard from folks who didn't have health insurance who knew one accident or illness would bankrupt their family. I was told how many thousands of dollars some families were paying each month for a health insurance plan that didn't cover most of the medical care they needed. I heard from folks who can't even get insurance because of a pre-existing condition.

These Montanans didn't all agree on how exactly we should reform our health care system. In fact, many were very passionate about the issue. But it was clear that we all knew something had to be done to change things. They needed and deserved real and meaningful health care reform.

It's impossible to ignore that our health care system is in crisis and the situation worsens every day. Every day, more Montanans get dropped from their insurance coverage or denied coverage because their health conditions are labeled too expensive to treat. In the last eight years, health care premiums have risen eight times faster than wages. Montana families cannot keep up with the skyrocketing costs.

I will not stand aside as our broken health care system devastates Montanans and cripples our economy. I introduced health care reform legislation last week that will lower costs and provide quality, affordable health care coverage for folks across the state and the nation. The legislation is the end product of more than a year of preparation, which included holding more than 40 health care events across the state and listening to the concerns of thousands of Montanans.

My plan takes a balanced approach to deliver meaningful health care reform. It is a common-sense bill that represents a real chance for health care reform because it is an earnest effort to reach common ground. And, the plan won't add to the federal deficit as it is fully paid for. Again, my plan won't add a single, thin dime to the national deficit.

A major focus of this legislation is improving the quality of care we have in America. If we increase efficiency within the health care system, we can lower health care costs. I have proposed several provisions to change the way health care is delivered by improving efficiency, quality and coordination.

The bottom line is that we need to shift the focus of our system toward the quality of care provided, not the quantity of services provided. We will protect and strengthen Medicare by rewarding doctors for providing even better care. The plan will also benefit seniors by strengthening Medicare and making prescription drugs more affordable.

To achieve real health care reform, we need to start by changing how insurance companies do business. My plan holds insurance companies accountable by prohibiting them from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions or imposing yearly and lifetime limits on the amount of coverage plans provide.

Every Montanan will be able to find quality, affordable coverage that cannot be taken away. Most importantly, Montanans can choose to keep their current health care coverage if they like it. Small business owners will be able to shop for coverage in a new marketplace and have tax credits to help make benefits affordable again. My plan will make it easier for families and small businesses to buy health care coverage as we will be slowing the growth of health care costs over time.

It's understandable that some people on both sides of the political aisle have concerns about my proposal. This is hard because it's so complicated, but it's too important not to act. My plan strikes the right kind of balance we need in America right now.

The time has come for action, and I have offered a blueprint for reform that I am confident can pass the U.S. Senate and help all Montanans get quality, affordable health care coverage. Together, we are going to fix the way Montanans get the care they need. We are close to the finish line and we are going to get this done.

Max Baucus is the U.S. Senator from Montana.