Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

U.S. SENATOR Jeff Bingaman

Monday, February 22, 2010

Contact Senator Bingaman's Office:

Jude McCartin
Maria Najera
703 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521

Bingaman Applauds White House's Health Insurance Reform Proposal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today applauded President Obama for advancing the issue of health insurance reform by releasing his own proposal.

Bingaman has been a key negotiator of health insurance reform legislation, helping craft the bill that the Senate approved in December.  The Obama plan, which is largely based on the Senate-passed proposal, is designed to put an end to discriminatory practices used by the insurance industry, while improving health care coverage and dramatically slowing the growth in health care costs.

"No one stands to gain more from health insurance reform than New Mexico.  We have the fastest rising premium costs and one of the highest uninsured populations in the country," Bingaman said.

"I believe we are very close to passing reform that will benefit New Mexicans and the entire country.  I am glad that the president has put forth a proposal that cracks down on the unscrupulous practices of the health insurance industry while requiring that they offer quality health care coverage.  This is another step in the process toward enacting health insurance reform," he said.

Bingaman noted one missing piece in the Obama plan is the inclusion of the public option – a non-profit health care plan that would be run by the federal government and financed with premiums.  Bingaman is a strong supporter of the public option and remains hopeful it will be contained in the final bill.