SENATE HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM HAS NOT BEEN "RUSHED"

At the Finance Committee mark-up this morning, Republicans continued to claim that the Senate health insurance reform legislation was "rushed." This is simply false - both the Senate Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Finance Committee have held roundtables and hearings on health reform beginning in 2008.

FINANCE, HELP COMMITTEES HAVE HELD BIPARTISAN ROUNDTABLES, HEARINGS, MARKUPS ON HEALTH REFORM LEGISLATION

Since May 2008, Senate Finance Has Held 17 Roundtables, Summits and Hearings on the Health Insurance Legislation. Senate Finance Committee has held a summit, roundtables and hearings on reforming health insurance and health care beginning in May 2008. [Senate Finance Committee]

Senate Finance Has Had Over 50 Meetings on Health Reform Legislation. Since November 2008, the Senate Finance Committee has held thirteen member meetings and walkthroughs on health reform legislation and held thirty-eight meetings and negotiations with at least six members of the committee on the health reform legislation. That's fifty-three meetings on health reform legislation. [Senate Finance Committee]

* Since November 2008, Finance Committee Has Had Over 10 Member Meetings and Walkthroughs on Health Reform. Since November 2008, the Senate Finance Committee has held thirteen member meetings and walkthroughs on health reform legislation. [Senate Finance Committee]

* Senate Finance Has Had Over 35 Meetings With at Least 6 Committee Members. Senate Finance has held thirty-eight meetings and negotiations with at least six members of the committee on the health reform legislation. [Senate Finance Committee]

HELP Committee Held Bipartisan Roundtables, Hearings, Walkthroughs. In 2008 and 2009, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held 14 bipartisan roundtables, 13 bipartisan Committee hearings, and 20 bipartisan walkthroughs to consider health care reform. [Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee]

HELP Committee Spent 13 Days Marking Up Health Reform Legislation. During June and July of this year, the HELP Committee spent 13 days and more than 56 hours marking up the Affordable Health Choices Act. [Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee]

HELP Committee Considered Nearly 300 Amendments to the Health Reform Legislation. During the markup, the Committee considered nearly 300 amendments and accepted more than 160 Republican amendments to the bill. [Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee]