Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) joined Dr. Mohammad Akhter, Executive Director of the National Medical Association and Dana Tillman, a victim of the health care crisis, at a press conference this morning to discuss the economic impact of skyrocketing health care costs. Democrats are committed to reducing the cost of health care for families, businesses, and government while protecting choice and assuring affordable, quality health care for all Americans.
“Health care costs are rising faster than our economy is growing,” Dodd said. “Almost half of all foreclosures and nearly 62 percent of bankruptcies were caused by financial issues stemming from medical costs. We cannot afford to continue down this path. It is not just unacceptable – it’s unsustainable. Now is the time for health care reform - our economy depends on it.”
Said Akhter: “Getting health care of the highest quality should not have to break the bank. Many countries are able to deliver better care for less money. We can do this, but we dare not miss this opportunity.”
“What happened to me could happen to anyone at any time,” Tillman said. “I was a full-time employee and worked hard, planned well. And yet one unexpected emergency was so expensive that it started an unstoppable domino effect. Two years later I'm still struggling. It’s a broken system. We can do better. We have to do better."
