10 Senators Ask Reid to Expand Access to the Health Care Exchanges

"It is our responsibility to make sure this foundation and these exchanges are successful."

October 30, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Nine Democratic senators joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today in expressing support for a version of Wyden’s Free Choice proposal which would promote real competition among health insurers by increasing the number of Americans able to choose plans in the new health insurance exchanges.

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In a letter (below) addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Jean Shaheen (D-N.H.), Roland Burris (D-Ill.), and Wyden reasoned that only allowing 10 percent of Americans to have access to the exchange will “limit the opportunity that the exchanges and their innovative new products will have to succeed.”

“In fact,” the senators continued, “[by limiting access to the exchanges] we may be sacrificing one of our best tools for containing costs -- a competitive marketplace of health care options.”

The ten senators made their case to Reid as the Majority Leader continues work on a combined bill to be considered on the Senate floor. “Incorporating a version of the Free Choice proposal in the Senate bill,” the senators wrote, “can help achieve the President’s and our goals of increasing consumer choice, promoting competition, holding down costs and improving quality.”

The full text of the letter is below. A signed copy of the letter is available at: http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/free_choice_letter.pdf.

Source: Senator Ron Wyden