WASHINGTON, DC – "The rushed health care reform proposals being debated behind closed doors could end up costing the taxpayer $2.4 trillion over ten years while doing nothing to lower the rising cost of care for patients and causing insurance premiums to rise," U.S. Senator Pat Roberts said today.

"It is clear closed door discussions on these reform proposals are falling apart. Majority Leader Reid has indicated a vote on a Senate proposal will not come until next year, despite the President’s insistence on rushing a bill.

"The projections of how much the Democrats’ bill will cost once fully implemented underscores the danger their health care reforms pose to our nation’s financial future. These economic times should force us to responsibly address our current entitlement crises—not to establish multi-trillion dollar new entitlement programs.

"Health care reform should be achieved through step-by-step, bipartisan compromise and careful attention to the consequences of the legislation affecting one-sixth of our economy. We need to get this right, not rush a bill at any cost.

"We should reduce costs for patients, increase transparency of health care costs and quality, eliminate pre-existing conditions, enact medical malpractice reform, offer incentives for healthy behaviors and encourage consumers to use health savings accounts to put them in charge of spending their health care dollar."

Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate HELP Committee and the Senate Committee on Finance. He is Co-Chairman of the Senate Rural Health Caucus.

-30-