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Consumers Union Urges U.S. Senate to Vote Against Repeal of Health Reform Law

While the law is not perfect, it makes significant strides toward curbing abuses by the insurance industry

February 2, 2011

Consumers Union Urges U.S. Senate to Vote Against Repeal of Health Reform Law

WASHINGTON — Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, today urged senators to vote against the proposed repeal of the nation’s health reform law, citing the benefits and improvements in healthcare that are already helping consumers in the early stages of the law’s implementation.

Jim Guest, the president and CEO of Consumers Union, said, “The law ought to be given a chance to work. While it’s not perfect, it makes significant strides toward curbing abuses by the insurance industry and making care more affordable. Attempts at repealing the law, or unwinding essential elements of the law, would ultimately be harmful to consumers.”

Guest pointed to the fact that, under the law, insurance companies can no longer cancel anyone’s coverage without cause when they become ill. Lifetime dollar limits on insurance benefits have been eliminated, insurers cannot deny care for sick children due to pre-existing conditions, and parents can keep their children on their health plans up to age 26, provided the children don’t have access to employer coverage, Guest noted.

“Quality healthcare for all consumers has been a major concern of our organization since we started 75 years ago. That concern has only grown bigger over time. The law puts our country on the right path to fixing some of the problems with healthcare that have dogged us for decades,” Guest said.

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