Roland W. Burris

2010-03-02T06:32:00.000-08:00

Sen. Burris addresses a group of Illinois students

2010-01-19T13:42:00.000-08:00

Statement of U.S. Senator Roland W. Burris – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2010

Every so often, in the winding history of our country, there is an entire generation that rises to confront the challenges of the moment.

Every so often, there is a movement so powerful that it changes the course of history.

And every so often, there is a visionary leader – a person with singular ideals, who comes along at exactly the right time to harness the energy of a movement and capture the imagination of a generation.

These are the rare figures whose names are etched into our national consciousness, whose memorials dot the landscape of our capital, and whose words and actions help to redefine the very fabric of our nation.

Mr. President, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was just such a leader.

He rose to prominence as a key figure of the Civil Rights movement, but he came to transcend both the movement – and the generation – that brought him to national prominence.

On Monday, we came together as a nation to commemorate the life and work of Dr. King.

His message of equality and fairness for all inspired the transformative Civil Rights era, and continue to resound throughout the United States even today.

The legacy of Dr. King is one that lives on through the service and goodwill of Americans in communities across the country.

And this day serves as an incredible opportunity for people across the nation to give back and volunteer to help those who are suffering.

It was this generosity of spirit that defined Dr. King’s life and work.
And by living out his selfless dedication to our fellow man, we can honor his vision and continue the work he left behind.

Mr. President, the fact that I stand before you today on the floor of the United States Senate is proof of the enduring legacy of Martin Luther King.

Out of the chaos, violence, and injustice of segregation, Dr. King found the strength to speak of peace, hope, and righteousness.

Where many saw hate and resentment, Reverend King saw an opportunity to build bridges, to seek out the humanity of those on both sides, and to appeal to the compassion that lives in each of us.

There were some who lashed out with clenched fists. But although he knew he would be met with hostility, Dr. King came to the table, time and again, with arms outstretched.

Half a century ago, most people could barely conceive of a world in which someone like me could address the highest lawmaking body in our land.

Fewer still could have dreamed of the day when a man with a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya would be sworn in as President of the United States of America.

I never thought I would live to see the day, Mr. President.
But even fifty years ago, when much of America could barely dream of such a future, Dr. King knew this day would come.

His vision never faltered, in spite of the dark days he witnessed and the tragic violence that eventually took his life.

The march towards equality has been long.
It began long before Martin Luther King walked this earth, and it will continue long after all of us are gone.

But so long as this great nation endures, Dr. King’s spirit will live on in our highest aspirations.
His voice rings through our history.

And although he did not live to see the promised land, his steadfast gaze still guides our every step – his booming voice sets the cadence of our march – and we know he will be waiting for us when we get there.

In the near future, a monument to Dr. King will rise on the National Mall, just a short distance from this Senate chamber.

He will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other giants in our history: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln – and King.

It is fitting that this great leader should be memorialized alongside other Americans who have helped to build a more perfect union.

And as we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. day this year, and as we build this monument, it is my hope that we can keep his spirit alive in our hearts.
Colleagues, as Dr. King might say, let us keep our feet on the march and our hands on the arc of history.

Let us look to the future with the same fierce urgency that he showed us more than forty years ago.

Let us complete this journey together, arm in arm, and make Martin Luther King’s dream a reality.

2010-01-19T12:57:00.000-08:00

Senator Roland W. Burris made the following statement on the earthquake in Haiti:

“My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti during this devastating time. While the full magnitude of this tragedy is still emerging, one thing is certain; in the coming days and weeks, the citizens and government of that nation will require all the assistance and resources the international community can afford."

"Haitians can count on the United States for that support. I am confident that the relief plan President Obama has laid out will bring immediate relief to the Haitian people, and I will work with my Senate colleagues and the Administration to do all we can to enable Haiti to recover and rebuild."

Fighting for Health Reform

2009-12-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

We all know that the American healthcare system is in a state of crisis. Profits are skyrocketing, and relative health outcomes are down.

The time for reform is now. We are closer to passing comprehensive legislation than anyone has been in nearly 100 years. The weight of history and of consensus cannot be ignored.

So let’s seize this opportunity. Let’s do this now – but let’s also do it right. Let us pass health insurance reform that includes a strong public option.

For me, reform with a public option is about three things: competition, lower costs, and accountability. It’s time to put ordinary Americans back in the driver’s seat – and that’s exactly what the public option would do.

There are only two industries that aren’t bound by the anti-trust laws that apply to every other business in the United States: health insurance and Major League Baseball. In such a highly concentrated environment, there is no incentive to compete.

A public option would make insurance providers compete for business, just like any other company. It would give people a choice for the first time in decades.

Under the current system, health premiums are rising four times faster than wages. There are almost 50 million Americans without health coverage – but there are millions more who can barely afford what little coverage they have.

If private companies have to compete with a public plan, people’s premiums will come down. But providers will also improve the quality of coverage. As a result, better care would become available to more people.

And that’s why our reforms would prevent companies from discriminating against people who have pre-existing conditions. A public option would give the American people somewhere else to turn. It would allow them to hold insurance providers accountable.

It’s time to prioritize patients over profits. It is time to pass comprehensive reform with a public option.

I’d like to thank all of my colleagues who have led the fight for the public option, and all of the individuals and groups that have been working hard to advocate for the public option.

(In this photo: Senator Burris speaks to supporter of healthcare reform at Health Reform Vigil)

2009-12-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

Senator Burris Works With Freshman Colleagues to Improve Health Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Roland W. Burris today joined ten of his fellow freshman Democratic Senators to introduce an amendment package designed to increase efforts to promote innovation in the U.S. health care system and lower costs for millions of consumers.

For the sixth time since Labor Day, this group of freshman Democratic Senators have assembled to deliver back-to-back Senate floor speeches on the need for health reform. The eleven Democratic freshmen involved in drafting this package include Sens. Mark Begich (AL), Michael Bennet (CO), Roland Burris (IL), Kay Hagan (NC), Ted Kauffman (DE), Paul Kirk (MA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Mark Udall (NM), Tom Udall (CO) and Mark Warner (VA).

This package of amendments -- which have been endorsed by some of the nation’s top corporate executives and leading private-sector advocates of health reform -- will establish public-private provisions to better coordinate changes across medicine, prevent fraud, and make Medicare a leader in overall health reform by speeding the move toward a higher-value, lower-cost model for the future.

“The health reform legislation currently being considered is the smartest piece of policy this country has seen in decades. Amendments to the current bill will help to further the pending legislation, making our health care system better, more studied and more innovative.” said Senator Burris. “In order to fix this deeply broken system, we must restore competition and accountability to the insurance market and make health care more affordable for consumers, and that is exactly what we expect this legislation will do. The passage of this bill is critical to providing better quality, more innovative and lower cost health care to all Americans.”

Below is a summary of the specific amendments.

Working More Closely with the Private Sector on Cost Containment

Transforming payment systems and improving quality will require that the public and private sectors move forward together on the shared goals of cost containment, improved quality, and delivery system reform.

• CMS Innovation Center: We give the new Innovation Center explicit authority to work with private plans to align Medicare, Medicaid and private sector strategies for improving care.

• Independent Medicare Advisory Board: We broaden the scope of the new Independent Medicare Advisory Board to look at total health system spending and make nonbinding, system-wide recommendations.

• Quality and Value in Private Insurance: We require health plans in the exchange to share information on health plan quality and cost to empower consumers to make better informed decisions.

Stepping-up the Commitment to Reduce Regulatory Barriers and Fight Fraud

These amendments require the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to aggressively pursue streamlined regulations and anti-fraud initiatives to ensure that all sectors of the health care system work together to improve value.

• Administrative Simplification: We require HHS to develop standards that will allow efficient electronic exchange and streamlining of information among patients, providers and insurers.

• Health Care Fraud Enforcement: We direct HHS to better utilize technology to prevent health care fraud.

• Eliminating Legal Barriers to Care Improvement: We authorize the U.S. Government Accountability Office to study current laws and regulations to identify barriers to implementing innovative delivery system reforms.

Aggressive Moves Toward Delivery System Reform

These amendments allow HHS to experiment with promising new models to further lower costs, increase quality and improve patient health.

• Value-Based Purchasing: We require Medicare to implement pay-for-performance for more providers sooner, adding hospices, ambulatory surgical centers, psychiatric hospitals and others.

• Broader Payment Innovation: We allow a broader, more flexible transition to new payment models for Accountable Care Organizations (ACO).

• Medicare System Upgrades: We require HHS to modernize data systems so that valuable Medicare data can be shared in a reliable, complete, and timely manner.

• Good Quality Everywhere: We promote greater access to tele-health services, strengthen the provider workforce and the availability of high-quality hospital services to bolster health care access for Americans in underserved and rural regions.

Senator Roland W. Burris Statement on President Obama’s Speech on Troop Increase to Afghanistan

2009-12-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

“I join President Obama, my fellow Senators, and my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee in expressing my unequivocal support our troops this evening. I am mindful of the high demands placed on our troops and their families when they are called to bravely serve our nation, and I thank them for their service and sacrifice.

“Tonight, President Obama spoke to the nation about his plan forward in Afghanistan, and I support the President’s strategic goals for the region; specifically that we train Afghan security forces to defend and protect themselves, restore political stability, and continue to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy Al Qaeda in the region. I am encouraged that the President is working in partnership with the international community and our NATO allies to help bring stability to Afghanistan.

“However, I have reservations about our ability to maintain a firm, timely, and condition-based exit strategy following a significant elevation in the number of American servicemen in the theater. And I have further concerns about the accountability and transparency of the Afghan government to its people.”

Senator Roland W. Burris on Jesse Jackson’s Campaign for President, 25 Years Later

2009-11-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

In the last century, Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. spoke often of “the arc of the moral universe,” and how it bends toward justice.

He held an optimistic but unvarnished view of our country, and saw that America’s greatness lives in the promise of expanding equality and opportunity.

Sadly, for parts of our history, the halls of civil discourse were closed to people of color, women, and other groups.
Too many Americans were denied the freedom that our founding documents guaranteed to every individual, and for far too long.

But here in the United States, it is inevitable that justice wins out over tyranny in the end.

Thanks to the leadership of Dr. King and countless other trailblazers – of all races, backgrounds, and walks of life – today’s America is more free, more fair and more equal than our forefathers could possibly have dreamed.

And today, I come to the floor in honor of one of these real-life trailblazers.

Twenty-five years ago, it was almost inconceivable that a person of color could become President of the United States.

But that did not stop the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. from mounting a serious campaign.

Some applauded the effort, and some decried it as foolishness. Some said that America was not ready

But Rev. Jackson was undeterred. He laid righteous claim to the values that define us as Americans, and he shared his vision with all those who would listen, and some who would not.

And under his leadership, an otherwise ordinary presidential campaign became a movement. People across America were inspired by what they saw, what they heard, and what they read.

They turned out in droves to campaign for Rev. Jackson, to hear him speak, and to offer their support.

Twenty-five years ago, Rev. Jesse Jackson decided to run for President. And his bold campaign changed American politics forever.

As Dr. King would say, he and his supporters put their hands on the arc of the moral universe and caused it to bend just a bit further.

He broke down barriers, he shattered prejudice, and he paved the way for all who came after.

He left an indelible mark on the political and social landscape in this nation – and his contributions will be felt for many years to come.

In 2008, thanks to the leadership and vision of Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and countless others, America did what was once unthinkable:

we elected an African American man named Barack Obama to the highest office in our land.

It was a day I never thought I would be fortunate enough to see.

But it showed the world once again that this is a nation of high ideals and higher aspirations.

It proved the enduring truth of the American dream, and reinforced the true character of our great country.

This nation owes a great deal to Rev. Jackson and many like him, who continue to share their talent, their vision, and their abiding faith with the American people.

So today, twenty-five years after his historic run for President, I rise to thank Jesse Jackson for all that he has done, and for all that he continues to do.

And even as we honor his accomplishments, we know that we can look to the future with optimism, secure in the certain knowledge that we are in control of our destiny.

We, the American people, have the power to determine the course of this nation, as Rev. Jackson reminded us a quarter of a century ago.

That is the legacy to which he belongs – a legacy of equality and opportunity, which he has left to each of us.

Let us honor that legacy and carry it forward, so future generations can share in the ever-expanding promise of the American dream.

Photo: Senator Roland W. Burris meets with former Senator Edward Brooke (R-MA)

Public Option Keynote

2009-11-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Remarks of U.S. Senator Roland W. Burris – Public Option Keynote

Good Morning.
And thank you all for being here.
It’s a privilege to join you today.
I’d first like to thank the Stroger Hospital for hosting us.
Events like this one are some of the most important parts of my job as your Senator
They allow me to hear from you – and to talk about my priorities in Washington, and my efforts on behalf of the great state of Illinois.
Now, we have just heard from some remarkable people. And I’d like to thank each of you for sharing your stories.
We are all very grateful to have heard your perspectives – and I promise to take this knowledge back to Washington as I debate this historic health reform legislation with my colleagues.
My friends, as we have just heard – and as everyone in this room knows all too well – our healthcare system is broken.
It just doesn’t work for the American people anymore.
And in fact, it’s been broken for almost a century.
Teddy Roosevelt was the first of eleven U.S. Presidents to stand up and say we had a growing health care problem.
And since that time, for the last 100 years, nearly every Congress and Administration has wrestled with our broken system. Today, that problem is a crisis.
Our current system is one in which costs continue to rise, even as relative health outcomes keep going down.
One that allows insurance companies to hold American families in a vice grip, squeezing them for exorbitant profits.
A system that affords no choice – no competition – and no accountability for the American people.
I believe that’s fundamentally wrong. And I believe that fixing our broken system is nothing less than a moral imperative.
Teddy Roosevelt shared this belief, as did Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Clinton… the list goes on.
For decades, leaders and presidents of both parties have agreed at the highest levels that it was time for comprehensive reform.
So surely we can find agreement today, in the face of a problem that has gotten far worse.
Now is not the time to back down – now is the time to act with conviction.
Today, we stand poised to succeed where our predecessors failed.
By any measure, we are closer to achieving healthcare reform than any Congress or Administration in history.
Just last week, the House of Representatives brought their reform bill to the floor.
And the U.S. Senate will soon do the same.
So, after 100 years of discussion and debate, we are on the verge of making healthcare reform a reality.
But we’re not there yet. We still have a lot of work to do.
Two months ago, I stood on the floor of the U.S. Senate and made a firm commitment.
It’s a commitment I’ve restated from the Senate floor nearly every single day that we’ve been in session.
I told my colleagues that I would not rest – would not compromise – and would not stop fighting until a strong public option is included in our health reform bill.
And I remain just as committed today.
So I’ll tell you what I told them: I will not vote for any reform legislation that fails to include a strong public option.
I believe we cannot get meaningful reform without the real competition, lower costs, and accountability that a public option can provide.
And I’m not alone in this belief. Whether it’s on planes, out on the streets here in Chicago, or in the hallway outside of my Senate office, every day I hear from folks in Illinois and across America who want a strong public option.
They call me, they write letters, they send emails. They stop me in the street.
And the message is always the same:
“We support your position. We want a public option. Do not back down.”
And I won’t.
I will continue to do exactly what I’ve been doing for my whole career – for almost 30 years in public service:
I will continue to listen to the people I represent.
I’m going to listen to you, and I’m going to be your voice in the U.S. Senate as this legislation comes to the floor.
I will continue to insist that the final bill includes a strong public option.
Now, there has been a great deal of misinformation about what the public option is really about, and what it would mean for ordinary Americans.
And current polling data shows that the more accurate information Americans have about the public option, the more they believe it must be a necessary part of our reform package.
So let’s cut through the distractions and the scare tactics and talk seriously.
Let’s define exactly what a strong public option means.
We hear people talk about public options, and triggers, and opt-outs, and opt-ins, and all kinds of other proposals.
Some people throw these words around interchangeably.
But words are important. This is not some abstract idea.
This is a real set of proposals, and they will affect real people in real ways.
So let’s define exactly what we’re talking about:
A strong public option is about three things: competition, lower costs, and accountability.
And that’s why a strong public option is essential to achieve real, meaningful reform.
We can all agree that we need to fix our health care system now, but let’s also agree to fix it the right way.
First and foremost, a strong public option must create true competition in the health insurance market.
The key problem with health coverage is that consumers do not have any options.
In America today, only two industries are not bound by the anti-trust laws that apply to every other business in the country: health insurance and Major League Baseball.
When every other private enterprise has to compete in the open market for your business, why does Big Insurance deserve special treatment?
In my opinion, they don’t.
In such a highly concentrated environment, there is no incentive to compete.
There is no reason to improve service, expand access, or work with patients and doctors to achieve better health outcomes.
In fact, there is every incentive to do just the opposite.
We’ve seen unprecedented consolidation in the insurance market – and that has led to a lack of competition and choice for American consumers.
In the past 13 years, there have been more than 400 corporate mergers involving health insurers.
As a result, 94 percent of our nation’s markets are now considered “highly concentrated,” meaning that they are virtual monopolies.
Here in Illinois, just two companies control 69 percent of our market.
And sadly, Illinois is far from alone.
In Alabama, a single company controls almost 90 percent of the market.
And in Iowa, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming, Maine, and Montana, the two largest health insurance companies control at least 80 percent of the market.
In fact, there are only three states in the entire country where the largest three companies control less than half of the insurance market.
This must end.
We must restore competition and choice to the health insurance industry.
It’s time to create a strong public option that will make insurers compete for your business, just like any other company in America.
A strong public option would give people a choice for the first time in decades.
No one would be forced to change their coverage – but if their current provider isn’t treating them right, they deserve the opportunity to choose something better and more affordable.
Which brings me to my next point:
In order to achieve real reform, our public option must be strong enough to significantly lower costs.
Everyone in this room knows what we pay for insurance.
One out of every six dollars we spend in this country goes to pay for healthcare.
Health outcomes are down, but somehow insurance company profits are through the roof.
This doesn’t make sense.
Premiums are rising four times faster than wages.

In fact, between 2000 and 2007, 10 of the country’s top insurance companies increased their profits by an average of 428 percent.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with making a fair profit.
But there is nothing fair about creating a monopoly and then wringing money from the sick Americans who are counting on them in their hour of need.
Not only are there almost 50 million Americans without health insurance – there is also a massive segment of the population who cannot afford what little coverage they have.
The American people deserve the chance to shop around – to compare options and pick the plan that’s right for themselves and their families or small businesses.
If private companies have to compete with a strong public plan, people’s premiums will come down.
Companies will bring costs under control, and this will help save money – but it’s not just cost that will improve.
Providers will also improve the quality of coverage. They will start to focus on patient outcomes, rather than profits.
As a result, better care would become available to more people.
A strong public option would require some capital to get off the ground, just like any other business – but after that, it would rely on the premiums it collects to remain self-sufficient.
It would operate like a non-profit insurance company, setting affordable rates based on the actual cost of care, not a desire to give giant bonuses to their executives and pay dividends to their shareholders.
The current system is a drain on the American taxpayer, but a strong public option would not be.
It would not be a handout.
It would not force anyone to change their current coverage – but it would drive costs down and give people a real choice for the first time in decades.
A strong public option would provide a cheaper alternative to private companies, and would force those companies to improve their product or risk losing customers.
And that brings me to the third goal we must achieve with real healthcare reform:
Our public option must be strong enough to bring real accountability to the health insurance industry.
For too long, private insurance providers have been running roughshod over the American public.
More often than not, those most in need are the ones who suffer the worst abuse.
There’s a lot of money to be made off of the poor – and insurance companies don’t seem to mind raking in cash at their expense.
Private insurance companies can drop your coverage for almost any reason.
They routinely exploit minor technicalities to avoid paying claims to those who need assistance the most.
These companies continue to look for new and innovative ways to deny coverage to sick Americans, because they know these people have nowhere else to turn.
A strong public option, coupled with the rest of our insurance reforms, would change all that.
Our reforms would make it illegal to deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
And a strong public option would allow you to shop around if you don’t like the coverage you have, or if you’re paying too much.
As the system exists today, the health insurance corporations are accountable to their shareholders first, and their customers second.
A strong public option would reverse that.
It would prioritize patients over profits, and would give the American people the chance to hold these companies accountable for the first time in many years.
My friends, that is why I support a strong public option.
That’s what it would mean for America:
Competition. Cost savings. Accountability.
And unless we are able to meet these three conditions in the final bill, I will not vote for it.
I believe that a strong public option is the best way to achieve these goals.
In fact, my preference is to have a robust public plan that is tied to Medicare.
But whatever form this legislation takes, I will ultimately judge it based upon its ability to bring about real competition, lower costs, and restore accountability.
My friends, it is time to make good on the promise first articulated by Teddy Roosevelt almost 100 years go.
It is time to make comprehensive healthcare reform a reality.
After a century of debate, we are faced with the opportunity to accomplish something truly historic.
If we do this now – if we do this right, we can make a real difference in the lives of millions of Americans
And that’s why I will not stop fighting until this fight has been won.
It’s time to make sure every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare – through a system that is competitive, cost effective, and accountable.
Thank you very much.

2009-11-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

Oct. 15, 2009 - Senator Roland W. Burris (IL) joins his colleagues on the Senate floor to debunk myths about healthcare reform and advocate for a public option (for more information, visit www.burris.senate.gov).

Full text of remarks, as the appear in the Congressional Record:

Mr. BURRIS. Mr. President, to my colleagues who are making this presentation on behalf of the people on health care, it is my pleasure to join them and speak briefly about what will take place if we do not pass, as part of insurance reform, a public option. When it comes to health care reform, we have all heard the myth that a public option would amount to a government takeover of the health care system. This is completely false and has no basis in the legislation under consideration by the Senate. Let's examine the facts: 45,000 Americans die each and every year because they do not have health insurance and cannot get quality care. That is 1 death every 12 minutes. Clearly, the system is broken. The time for action is long past. I believe we need to restore choice and accountability to the health care system. The only way to accomplish this is with a public option. It would increase the availability of care. It would help fight the disparities that plague our current system. At the moment, people of color represent half of the Nation's uninsured, even though they make up only a third of the total population. A low-cost public option would meet the needs of these who are at a disadvantage, regardless of background or skin color. The public option would restore competition to a market that is currently monopolized by only a few corporations. Take my State. In the State of Illinois, two companies dominate 69 percent of the insurance market. That is why their profits are growing four times faster than wages. This is unsustainable. It is breaking America's businesses and bankrupting American families. We talked about businesses earlier. My colleagues mentioned what this will do for small businesses. We must make sure there are choices for them to have an exchange where small businesses can shop for their insurance. If these companies have to compete with a public plan, everyone's premiums will go down. It will bring about competition in the marketplace. If you like your current insurance providers, nothing will change except that you will save money, and you won't have to worry about losing coverage when you need it. No government bureaucrat will alter your insurance plan, your doctor, or the level of care you receive. But if you can't afford insurance or your coverage has been denied due to a preexisting condition, you will be able to get quality care at an affordable rate. Just like any business, a not-for-profit public insurance option would require initial capital to get off the ground. But afterwards it would rely on the premium it collects to remain self-sufficient. The current system is a drain on American taxpayers. The public option would not be. The public option would complement private insurance providers, not drive them out of business. In fact, it will result in an increase of 1 to 3 million additional customers for private companies. In other words, by bringing all those persons into coverage, insurance companies will benefit when all these uninsured people will now be covered. There will be no government takeover, no death panels, no rationing, and no redtape between you and your doctor. It is time to reject these myths and to take decisive action. The only way to achieve meaningful health care reform and bring costs down is through a public option that creates real competition in the system. Let it be clear to all of my colleagues in this august body: I will not vote for any health care bill that does not include a public option. I yield the floor.

2009-10-27T13:06:00.001-07:00

The Public Option: Creating True Competition

2009-10-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

Over the past several months, Americans have taken part in an expansive debate over health insurance reform. And while we’ve heard views from across the political gamut, the undeniable fact remains that our health care system is in the midst of a serious crisis. Millions of people are left uninsured, and many who are covered are forced to pay backbreaking premiums for sub-standard care.

It is time for comprehensive reform.

I am fighting for a bill that reflects the core mission of reform: quality coverage for all Americans at a reasonable and sustainable cost. And I am convinced that in order to realize these goals, a public option must be included in any reform package passed by the United States Senate.

Rising healthcare costs are spiraling out of control. Between 2000 and 2007, health insurance premiums for Illinois families increased by an astounding 73%, rising 5.6 times faster than the mere 13% increase seen in median earnings. And while in the current economic climate, insurance costs and medical bills have forced far too many American families into bankruptcy, others have been left completely behind.

45,000 Americans die every year because they don’t have health insurance and cannot get quality care, according to a Harvard Medical School study. That’s one death every twelve minutes.

According to the UN Human Development Report, while the United States leads the world in spending on health care, “countries spending substantially less than the US have healthier populations” and the U.S. leads industrialized nations in preventable deaths each year.

Insurance markets throughout the country are currently dominated by a small number of insurers. Without options, consumers have no leverage against exorbitant premiums and poor coverage, and insurers are able to reap record profits without delivering quality services.

Over 400 insurance company mergers in the past decade have led to markets controlled by just a few large health insurance providers. An American Medical Association Survey found that in Illinois, just two insurers control 69% of the market.

Even more alarming is that this trend persists everywhere in the region, regardless of an area‘s geographic or cultural make-up. All one has to do is take a look at the combined market share of the two leading health insurance companies in various areas throughout the region.

In St. Louis, a bustling urban center, two companies serve 78% of the market; in the small, rural town of Danville, Illinois, it’s 76%; and in the midsize area of Urbana-Champaign, home to the University of Illinois’ flagship campus, 83% of the insurance market is dominated by just two companies.

As competition shrinks, profits skyrocket. If we compare 10 of the country’s largest insurers between 2000 and 2007, we discover that profits have increased by an average of 428% (based on information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission). Rather than engaging in costly competition for customers, naturally ensuring lower premiums and high quality, the largest insurance providers have divvied up the country, creating captive monopolies where consumers are stuck with high costs and poor coverage.

The reality of today’s health insurance market is unacceptable and any bill that merely maintains the status quo is a deal-breaker.

In order to achieve the goals of insurance reform, we must restore choice to the marketplace. A public option will force competition by giving people an immediate alternative to existing plans, thus lowering premiums while increasing quality.

Competition in business has always been the driving principle of the American economy. Why should the health insurance industry play by different rules than everyone else? A public plan would set its premiums based on the market. Just like any other business, it would need to be initially capitalized, but would subsequently rely on the premiums it collects to remain self-sufficient.

Through increased competition, a public option would actually strengthen the private health insurance industry by requiring increased employer responsibility that would increase the number of people who receive private insurance from their jobs.

Simply put, a public option makes the most sense. It will increase access to health insurance, rein in the exorbitant costs of insurance for American consumers, and provide the competition necessary to ensure quality coverage by insurers.

That sounds like a good deal to me.

Drawing a Line in the Sand: The Case for a Public Option

2009-10-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

Health insurance reform excites passions across the political spectrum. In a broad sense, most reasonable parties agree on the basic goals of reform: improving the quality of care, making coverage more affordable for everyone, and preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to those who need it most.

But there is still wide disagreement about exactly how to realize these objectives.

After considering all of the serious options on the table, I am convinced that we can only achieve our goals by including a public option in any reform package. In fact, I would regard as inadequate any measure that fails to include a public option, and would vote against such a plan in the Senate.

The facts are these:

45,000 Americans die every year because they don’t have health insurance and cannot get quality care, according to a Harvard Medical School study. That’s one death every twelve minutes.

Rising healthcare costs are spiraling out of control. Over the past nine years, insurance premiums have more than doubled, increasing at a rate four times faster than wages. In the current economic climate, insurance costs and medical bills have forced far too many American families into bankruptcy. While we suffer, insurance corporations are posting record profits.

Over 400 insurance company mergers in the past decade have led to markets dominated by a small number of insurers. In Illinois, an American Medical Association study found that just two companies dominate 69% of the insurance market. As competition shrinks, profits skyrocket. If we compare 10 of the country’s largest insurers between 2000 and 2007, we discover that profits have increased by an average of 428% (based on information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission). A public option would rein in these excessive revenues and would put pressure on companies to improve coverage or risk losing customers. Put simply, it would restore choice to the insurance industry.

It’s time to restore competition and accountability to the private insurance market. Under the current system, it’s impossible for small, private insurers and state-based co-ops to compete in the insurance marketplace. A nationally-administered public option, available in all fifty states, would have enough clout to compete with the corporate giants. This would allow millions of people to get health insurance for the first time, and at a reasonable price.

A public plan would improve health outcomes and provide stability and security, because it would allow those who change work, start a business, or lose their jobs to maintain quality, affordable coverage.

A public plan would set its premiums based on the market. Just like any other business, it would need to be initially capitalized, but would subsequently rely on the premiums it collects to remain self-sufficient, in accordance with explicit provisions in both the Senate and House proposals. The plan would also be subject to the same solvency requirements as other insurance companies.

A public option would complement our nation’s private insurers, not drive them out of business. All of the bills passed by the committees of jurisdiction in both the Senate and House of Representatives require increased employer responsibility in some form or another that would increase the number of people who receive private insurance from their job/place of work. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated this mandate could result in a net increase of 1-3 million people, while offering exemptions and tax credits to lessen the burden on small businesses.

I believe a public option must be a central component of any health insurance reform legislation. We need to restore competition and responsibility to the insurance market – principles upon which our nation’s economy was founded in the first place. Market alternatives will put real pressure on insurers to rein in profits, stop denying coverage to those who need it, and do the right thing for their customers.

On September 9, President Obama drew a line in the sand and asked members of Congress to choose a side. I choose to stand with the American people.

I hope that my colleagues will join with me in demanding nothing less than the real, meaningful reform a public option would provide. The stakes are too high to settle for anything less.

Finance Committee Healthcare Reform Bill

2009-10-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. ––United States Senator Roland W. Burris today voiced his praise for the members of the Senate Finance Committee on the passage of their version of the health care reform bill. Senator Burris feels that this is an important step in making real, meaningful health care reform a reality for our nation. The plan cleared the committee this afternoon by a vote of 14-9.The Senate Finance Committee’s version of the health care reform legislation must now be merged with the bill that was passed in July by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where Senator Burris is hopeful that the hybrid bill will include a public option.

“I would like to congratulate my colleagues on the Finance Committee for completing this important step in the process and moving real, meaningful healthcare reform one step closer to reality for tens of millions of American families,” said Senator Burris. “I am disappointed that this version of the bill does not include a public option, but am hopeful that as the Finance bill and the HELP Committee bill are merged, the resulting hybrid plan will offer a reform package with a public option. I firmly believe that including a public option is vital to spur real competition, reduce costs, and achieve the meaningful reform that all Americans deserve. In the coming weeks, as my colleagues and I take up this legislation on the Senate floor, I will work hard to make sure a public plan is included in the final bill. Let me be clear on this: I will not vote for any measure that does not include a public option.”