Dole: Get Health Secretary confirmed so she can get in front door and begin work

By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service

The nominee for Health Secretary, Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kan.), was told by members of the Senate Finance Committee that the job of reforming America’s healthcare system would not be easy.

Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) told Sebelius, “The time for incremental change has passed. It is increasingly difficult to fix the system one step at a time. We cannot add 46 million uninsured to a broken system, but we also cannot bend the growth curve of health spending without covering the uninsured.”

Sebelius noted the challenges she faces if confirmed, stating, “Health care costs are crushing families, businesses, and government budgets. Since 2000, health insurance premiums have almost doubled and an additional 9 million Americans have become uninsured. Since 2004, the number of “under-insured” families – those who pay for coverage but are unprotected against high costs – rose by 60 per cent.”

In order to tackle the rising costs associated with health reform, Sebelius told the committee she will work with both sides to explore all options in an attempt to reduce costs. She said, “should I be confirmed, healthcare reform would be my mission.”

Taking on a more light hearted tone, former Senator Robert Dole (R-Kan.), asked that the committee work hard to get Sebelius confirmed quickly to get the work started. He said, “It would really help if you could get her confirmed before the recess. She can’t even get into the building and we are a little behind anyway and this is the issue of the year. So if you guys can all, you know, do something.”

Chairman Baucus laughing, at Dole’s comments, said, “You are absolutely right and that’s why we are having this hearing. So we can get her confirmed this week.”

All members of the committee commended the president’s selection of Sebelius as Health Secretary nominee and commended, also, her record on fighting health care inequality as Governor of Kansas.