Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement after the House Committee on Education and Labor accepted his amendment to guarantee Americans the right to enter into private contracts for medical services during the committee’s markup of the House Democrats’ health care proposal. Price is the Ranking Member of the subcommittee that oversees health care for the Committee on Education and Labor.

“Democrats have continually claimed their plan will allow Americans to keep their current health care if they so desire,” said Congressman Price, “but no such guarantee actually exists in the text. If Congress mandates that either Americans purchase or employers provide health care, someone here in Washington will have to come up with a legal definition of what health care actually is. Every patient has different needs, but if the Washington definition of health care doesn’t include your particular set – you’d be out of luck.

“This amendment ensures that patients can seek the care they need, even if that care doesn’t fit into Washington’s new bureaucratic definition of health care. Americans believe they should be allowed to make their own medical decisions. Patients, not politicians, should choose what health care they need. Thankfully there are still some Members of Congress who understand that. Those of us concerned about the rights of patients will be watching closely to make sure this freedom is not stripped out by Democrats in the legislation’s final version.”

NOTE: The Price amendment simply states, “Nothing in this Act shall be construed to preclude any participant or beneficiary in a group health plan from entering into any contract or arrangement for health care with any health care provider.”