Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today served as the Ranking Member in a Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing to address Health Care Fraud and Abuse Prevention.

“We must hold agencies accountable for improper payments, and we must identify, pursue and prosecute those who would defraud the American taxpayer,” said Rehberg in his opening statement.  “I’m glad to see that the Administration is taking this seriously.  It would be my hope that the savings that are recovered are used to shore up the Medicare trust funds and not immediately spent on something else.”

In his statement, Rehberg also cited an OMB study that estimated $10.8 billion in improper payments by Medicare in 2007 and a Washington Post story that reported $47 billion in improper payments last year.

Testifying were:

William Corr
Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Dan Levinson
Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services

Gary Grindler
Acting Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice

Julie Rivera
Special Agent, Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement in response to the “Bipartisan White House Summit” held on February 25. The Summit was held 79 days after the House passed its version of the health care bill written by House Democrats, 63 days after the Senate passed its version of the health care bill written by Senate Democrats and 3 days after the President introduced his “compromise” proposal.

“Today’s bipartisan health care discussion, which was the first time both cameras and Republicans were invited to the table, was at least a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, the legislation has already been crafted in secret, behind closed doors and without public input. This isn’t about Republicans or Democrats, it’s about listening to the American people, like the thousands of men and women I heard from last year at 36 listening sessions across Montana. They want health care reform, and they want it done right. That’s why it’s so important to start over, put partisanship aside, and get to work finding workable solutions for Montana families.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following the President’s unveiling of a proposal to bridge the gap between the current House and Senate health care bills. The introduction of the bill comes just three days before he is scheduled to meet with Republican Leaders to hear their ideas, ostensibly to incorporate them into his proposal.

“Montanans aren’t fooled by the fresh coat of paint. This bill is still the same lemon that was soundly rejected by the vast majority of Montanans I heard from last year at 36 public listening sessions across the state. The American people want real health care reform and they deserve an open, bipartisan process that’s done in the light of day. Today’s theatrics are more of the same; a bill crafted in secret behind closed doors and without public input or scrutiny.

“There are better alternatives to lower the cost of health care and increase access, and the President will hear many of those ideas at a bipartisan summit this Thursday. Instead of introducing his proposals three days early, I encourage the President to come to the table with an open mind to find a workable solution that prioritizes the American people.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued the following statement following the election of Scott Brown from Massachusetts to the United States Senate.

“I’ve held 42 public listening sessions in Montana in the last year, and Senator-elect Brown’s election underlined the writing already on the wall. Montanans want workable solutions. They don’t want to replace an insurance bureaucracy with an even bigger government bureaucracy. It’s time to start over and do this right. We have better alternatives, and are eager to work in a bipartisan fashion toward true health care reform.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today cosponsored House Resolution 847 which expresses the Sense of the House of Representatives that any conference report, or other health care reform negotiations, should be conducted under the watchful eye of the American people.

“Transparency is an essential part of any government that derives its authority from the consent of the people,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. “It’s when the legislation is the most controversial that this transparency is the most important, and yet, it is this controversy that has prompted some of my colleagues to shut the public out of the process completely.”

Rehberg, who also signed a pledge not to vote for any health care bill that hasn’t been online for at least 72 hours and that he hasn’t personally read, joined colleagues last week in asking the President and Congressional Leaders to fulfill campaign-trail promises and televise health care negotiations on C-SPAN.

WASHINGTON, DC – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued the following statement supporting a request by C-SPAN that all future health care negotiations be open to the public through media coverage.

“Despite promises that this Congress would be the most open and transparent in history, every single major piece of legislation we have considered has been stitched together in secret back rooms and then rushed through the legislative process, bypassing committees and public scrutiny.

“Now, as the government takeover of health care is being finalized, Republicans have been kicked out of the room and the doors have been closed to the public.  This is not how a Representative Government behaves.

“With health care, we’re talking about more than one sixth of our economy.  We’re literally talking about life and death and the very standard of living we enjoy in this country.  If we get this wrong, we can’t undo it.  The public has a right to see this process in its entirety.

“President Obama, Senate and House leaders, many of your rank-and-file members, and the nation’s editorial pages have all talked about he value of transparent discussions on reforming the nation’s heath care system,” wrote C-SPAN in a letter to House and Senate Leadership.  Now that the process moves to the critical stage of reconciliation between the Chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American.”

Last year, Rehberg signed a pledge not to vote for any health care bill that hasn’t been online for at least 72 hours and that he hasn’t personally read.  This pledge came after several major bills were passed without enough time for them to be read.

In February, 2009, Congress passed a so-called “stimulus” bill that was the largest spending bill in American history. Members of Congress were given only 13 hours to examine the bill, which was 1,100 pages long. At the time, Rehberg said, “The bill was dropped on us [the U.S. House] at 11 o’clock at night. I would have had to read each and every page in that bill in 24 seconds or less. That’s how much time we had.”

In June, 2009, a 300-page amendment was added to the Cap and Tax bill at 3 a.m. on the day the bill was passed in the House. The complete bill was never made available in its entirety by the time of the vote. Even more troubling, Speaker Pelosi demanded a vote on the legislation even though it included blank pages as placeholders for portions that would be added later.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg and Baby Caucus co-chair Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), hosted a briefing today with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, to assist states with establishing comprehensive and coordinated systems for health care, education, and family support services for young children. 

“The Baby Caucus has generated a lot of great buzz, and for very good reason,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee and a co-founder of the Congressional Baby Caucus with DeLauro in July.  “The early years of life are critical to a child’s development.  It is crucial that policy makers accept our role in ensuring that every American child grows up in a safe and healthy environment with the resources they need to grow into strong, productive adults.  I will continue to work across the aisle to find bipartisan solutions to the challenges facing infants, toddlers, and their families.”

“I know from watching my own grandchildren, that the earliest of experiences are essential, and supportive environments critical, to long term outcomes for children,” said Congresswoman DeLauro.  “Guaranteeing that infants, toddlers, and their families have access to a broad range of services, from basic nutrition, to Head Start, to quality and affordable child care is a great way to help them grow up safe and healthy. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides to address the needs of children across the country.”

More than 30 bipartisan members of the Baby Caucus are champions for awareness and early investment – promoting what is best for children, from the beginning, rather than have the effect of policies on infants and toddlers as afterthoughts. The Caucus focuses on a broad range of areas, including nutrition and basic needs for babies; the effects of trauma; and federal programs.

Wednesday’s event, “Some Assembly Required: Building State Systems for Infants and Toddlers,” featured the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and a panel of Early Childhood Development experts from around the country.  During her remarks, the Secretary encouraged state and federal policymakers to work with community organizations, non-profit foundations and local educators to develop and fund innovative solutions to the challenges impacting infants and toddlers.  She also encouraged policymakers from the health and education fields to work together to streamline the process of gathering information on and assessing a child’s educational development from infancy through their school years. 

Also attending the forum was Billie Warford who served as the Director of the Montana Early Childhood Project at Montana State University for 22 years.  During that time she also served as Director of the HRDC Head Start Program, MSU Child Development Center and the MSU Infant and Toddler Program.  Billie has come out of retirement to work on rural issues in early care and education.  She is currently Director of Early Childhood Solutions in Bozeman.  Billie has written or co-written several publications regarding early childhood care, programs and resources in rural areas.  She is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and Montana State University.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today voted in support of the Republican alternative health care reform bill which he helped craft using the input he received at 18 listening sessions and countless constituent meetings. The House of Representatives instead adopted Speaker Pelosi’s trillion dollar government takeover of health care. Rehberg voted against Pelosi’s bill.

“Once again, House Democrats put their Party ahead of doing the best thing for our country. Instead of immediate and targeted reform to fix the national health care crisis, Americans will get 118 new federal bureaucracies and a solution that doesn’t even go into effect until 2013. Now we must hope that any Senate action will be more reflective of the folks I heard from at 18 listening sessions around Montana.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued support for a Republican alternative health care bill in expectation of a vote on Saturday. He praised the bill for being responsive to the concerns of Montanans voiced in 18 listening sessions across the state.

“While Speaker Pelosi orchestrated a reckless charge into government-run health care, I’m standing with Montanans in favor of sensible reforms that don’t simply replace insurance bureaucracies with more expensive government bureaucracies,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. “I’ve held 18 listening sessions throughout Montana. I heard from tens of thousands of Montanans in person, over the phone and through the internet. There’s a consensus that health care reform is needed, but Montanans understand that Speaker Pelosi’s cure is worse than the disease. This Republican alternative does more to reduce the cost of health care and costs far less to implement.”

Rehberg, who has become more critical of Pelosi’s massive 2,000-page bill with every page he reads, helped House Republican Leaders draft an alternative bill that incorporates the better solutions for health care reform that he has long been advocating for in Montana. From meaningful lawsuit reform to end wasteful and expensive defensive medicine practices to increasing consumer choice by allowing insurance purchasing over state lines, Rehberg helped bring real health care solutions to the table.

The House Republicans 219-page substitute for Pelosi’s 1,990-page bill would entirely replace that bill with policies that have been discussed at countless public town hall meetings across the nation. Among the advantages of the Republican alternative bill is a much lower price tag, and provisions that go into effect as soon as the President signs it into law. The Pelosi Health Care bill costs $1.2 trillion and much of it doesn’t go into effect until well into the next decade.

“We’re experiencing a health care crisis, and immediate action is necessary,” said Rehberg. “This bill has better solutions that can start addressing the problem today instead of waiting until 2013. At the end of the day, this bill looks a lot more like Montana than the San Francisco alternative.”

Rehberg posted the full text of the bills and amendments in the “Transparency Center” of his official website at http://rehberg.house.gov.

The following provisions are included in the Republican Alternative:

Establishing Universal Access Programs which guarantee access to affordable care for those with pre-existing conditions. Bt expanding and reforming high-risk pools and reinsurance programs the Republican alternative guarantees that all Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses, have access to affordable care – while lowering costs for all Americans.

Ending expensive and wasteful defensive medicine. This plan would help curb defensive medicine by enacting medical liability reforms modeled after successful state laws.

Prevents insurers from unjustly cancelling a policy or instituting annual of lifetime spending caps. The Republican alternative plan prohibits an insurer from cancelling a policy unless a person commits fraud or conceals material facts about a health condition. It also prohibits insurance plans from instituting annual or lifetime spending limits.

Allowing Americans to buy insurance across state lines. The Republican alternative plan allows Americans to shop for coverage from coast to coast by allowing Americans living in one state to purchase insurance in another.

Encouraging Small Business Health Plans. This plan gives small businesses the power to pool together and offer health care at lower prices, just as corporations and labor unions do.

Encouraging innovative state programs. The Republican alternative plan rewards innovation by providing incentive payments to states that reduce premiums and the number of uninsured.

Promoting healthier lifestyles. The Republican alternative plan promotes prevention & wellness by giving employers greater flexibility to financially reward employees who adopt healthier lifestyles.

Enhancing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The Republican alternative plan creates new incentives to save for future and long-term care needs by allowing qualified participants to use HSAs to pay premiums.

Allowing dependents to remain on their parents’ policies. The Republican alternative plan encourages coverage of young adults on their parents’ insurance through age 25.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, will hold a Health Care Tele-Town Hall meeting tonight, Tuesday, November 3, at 6:50 pm, MDT. Rehberg, joined by Montanans from across the state, will discuss the new health care reform bill introduced late last week by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Montanans have a right to be heard, and while Speaker Pelosi’s schedule gives us only a few days to receive input from folks, I to want hear from as many Montanans as I can,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. “I held a face-to-face town hall this weekend in addition to an ongoing virtual town hall via Facebook and Twitter. While I’d prefer to meet with folks in person, given the short time we’ve been allowed, a tele-town hall will allow me to get even more advice from Montanans.”

The tele-town hall is open to the public and media. There will be 500 lines available, and if a caller receives a busy signal, they are advised to try again, as lines will open up throughout the hour as other participants drop off. To participate, call the toll-free number below and enter the PIN number:

Rehberg Health Care Reform Tele-Town Hall
Tuesday, November 3, 2009, at 6:50 pm, MDT
Toll-Free Number: 877-269-7289
PIN Number: 12957

Rehberg continues to utilize social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to solicit public input. Hours after the public announcement of the 1,990 page bill, Rehberg posted the full text of the legislation in the “Transparency Center” of his Congressional website (http://rehberg.house.gov).

On Saturday, Rehberg held an emergency town hall in his hometown of Billings. The event filled the 500-capacity Petro Theater on the campus of MSU-Billings. In addition, thousands of Montanans have corresponded with Rehberg through his Facebook and Twitter accounts.

“The House leadership has thoughtlessly only allowed a few days for the American people to absorb a 2,000 page bill,” said Rehberg. “I hope Montanans can join me in the tele-town hall tonight, and the ongoing online discussions, so we can sort through the pros and cons together.”

Rehberg’s Twitter account can be read at: http://twitter.com/dennyrehberg
His Facebook profile is at: http://www.facebook.com/denny.rehberg.mt