Nevada Senators Harry Reid and John Ensign focused their public statements and press releases on health care this past week. Congressman Dean Heller did not release a recent statement on any aspect of health care reform.

Senator John Ensign (R-NV)

 Washington, D.C. – Senator John Ensign introduced an amendment to the Democrat healthcare bill to protect health care for our nation’s veterans and military service officers.  This same amendment was accepted unanimously in the Senate Finance Committee’s version of the healthcare bill but was stripped out of the bill before it reached the floor.

Dec. 11, 2009: “Our veterans and military service officers have given a great deal to our country,” said Ensign.  “They have sacrificed much of themselves in service to our country and we owe these brave men and women a lot in return.  We owe them our respect and our admiration, and we owe them a healthcare system that they can rely on to take care of them through the years.  My amendment will prohibit this healthcare bill from penalizing DOD and VA care.”

Senator Ensign’s amendment will clear up any ambiguity that could prohibit and penalize veterans or their eligible family members for receiving care at a DOD or VA facility, through a VA healthcare provider or through a contracted healthcare provider (TRICARE or TRICARE for Life).

 Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)

Dec. 10, 2009: Nevada Senator Harry Reid discussed the health insurance reform bill and the support it is receiving from doctors across the country.  Several doctors joined Reid at the Capitol today.  Reid said, "In Nevada and nationally, health care professionals know from experience that our system is broken.  We can no longer afford to wait to fix it."

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will provide quality, affordable coverage for the more than 500,000 uninsured Nevadans.  It will make tax credits available to 24,000 small businesses in Nevada that provide health insurance for their employees.  And it will strengthen Medicare for Nevada’s 328,000 Medicare beneficiaries by reducing overpayments to private insurers and spending on prescription drugs.

 Senator Reid’s full comments are available on video located on the “newsroom” section of his official web site located at www.reid.senate.gov.