Platts says health bill is too expensive

U.S. Rep. Todd Platts said the health care bill that passed Saturday in the U.S. House of Representatives is too expensive, would cost jobs and would impair senior citizens' access to health care.

Platts was one of 215 House members, including 176 Republicans, who voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

He released a statement Sunday saying he opposed the measure because it would destroy millions of jobs by raising taxes on small businesses and other employers.

Platts also argued it is too expensive. He said it would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years and includes more than $700 billion in new taxes.

The measure would also cut Medicare benefits by more than $400 billion and raise Medicare premiums, he said, which would make access to health care more difficult for senior citizens.

Platts also contends the bill, if approved by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama, would move countless Americans involuntarily from private health insurance to government-run health care.

"I have long maintained that there is no 'silver bullet' for health care reform," Platts said in the statement. "We should aim to build upon the current health care system in a variety of ways, making health insurance more affordable and more accessible."

For example, Platts said Congress should prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions and allow small businesses to band together to negotiate insurance coverage for their

employees.

--Reach Carl Lindquist at 505-5426 or clindquist@yorkdis patch.com.