Reforming our health insurance system has become an economic and moral imperative for our nation. The outpouring of stories throughout this debate – of families fearful of losing their insurance, seniors forgoing doctor-prescribed procedures because they cannot afford the deductibles and people of all ages suffering because their insurance does not cover the care they need – has made it crystal clear that California cannot afford the current health insurance system. As Congress continues to debate ways to reform our health care system, Californians are urging their representatives to understand that change is not merely preferable – it is necessary.

Many people across our state have contributed to the debate on health insurance reform, and the intensity of this discussion underscores the urgent need to act. Californians are taking this process seriously, because the problems we face are serious ones. But amidst all the talk about exchanges, subsidy levels, reimbursement rates and productivity adjustments, many people simply want to know what health insurance reform means for them.

The essential answer to this question is simple: Health insurance reform means lower costs, higher quality and better outcomes for the insured and uninsured alike.

The America's Affordable Health Choices Act currently under consideration in Congress takes bold steps to achieve these goals by reforming the way insurance companies do business, increasing the insurance choices available to California's businesses and families, strengthening Medicare and Medicaid for the long term, and investing in prevention and wellness programs that help people live healthier lives.

As the congressional representative for California's capital region and as a president of the nation's second-largest health care purchaser, we are committed to this plan because it lowers health insurance costs, and because the cost of doing nothing to fix our insurance system will cripple our state and leave millions of families without the quality, affordable health care they deserve. We know all too well how health insurance costs have skyrocketed in recent years for our constituents and beneficiaries, and how these trends have amplified the economic recession and state budget crisis. According to the California HealthCare Foundation, health care spending in California in 2007 alone was approximately $167 billion, accounting for nearly a quarter of the state's budget.

Nationwide, health insurance premiums for middle-class families grew at triple the rate of wages for these same families. California is not immune from these disturbing trends: the California Public Employees' Retirement System, CalPERS, spends about $5.7 billion a year to provide health care to its 1.3 million members. Over the past six years, CalPERS members have seen their health care premiums rise by more than 60 percent.

The truth is that escalating costs make the current health care system dangerous and unsustainable. The status quo is an untenable policy choice. Something must be done now to get costs under control, which is why the America's Affordable Health Choices Act is such a critical piece of legislation. The bill will make health insurance more affordable for more Americans; provide financial incentives for health care providers to develop innovative proposals to constrain costs, emphasize prevention and wellness, and improve quality and efficiency; and help control the high cost of prescription drugs. It is a comprehensive – and desperately needed – plan that will restore the viability of our health care system and make the average American a healthier person.

This effort cannot be allowed to fail because Californians cannot afford to continue to pay the costs of our current health care system. We strive for something better than the status quo. We are working toward a California where affordable, quality health care is available to people when they need it. We are committed to a California where insurance costs are manageable and affordable, not outrageous and growing.

We demand a California where people enjoy peace of mind that the health insurance they have will cover them when they get sick, without draining their bank accounts. Achieving these goals is a historic endeavor that matters to us, matters to you, and matters to our state's future.

Doris Matsui is California's 5th Congressional District representative. Rob Feckner is president of the CalPERS board of administration.