We’ve been blogging on the subject of health care reform for a couple of months and, frankly, have been very circumspect in our comments, wanting to see exactly what bills that Congress will be considering.
There have been many articles published recently in which health care officials have reacted to the various reform bills in Congress. In fact, a good overview of health care industry reaction can be found in the following Health Care Leaders article. But we have to say the individuals quoted still skirt the issue by remaining politically correct.
Now that the Senate Finance Committee has released its long-awaited draft bill for mark up, the debate is moving into high gear with more than 500 proposed amendments being introduced. The result is that there has been a huge increase in the complexity of the reform effort and the debate about it, a complexity that deserves appropriate time for thoughtful, reasoned discussion. Unfortunately, the Democrats are adamant about moving legislation through in a very short period of time that will not allow for adequate discussion and evaluation of the impact of the proposed legislation. This is extremely disappointing given that this has the potential to be the most significant piece of legislation in decades.
We think that everything currently on the table opens the door for the eventual takeover of our private healthcare system by the government. Even incremental steps, no matter how small, provide opportunity for government intrusion. Current proposed legislation would increase the size of government, reduce choice for patients and doctors, and result in a trillion dollars of new deficit spending. Quality will suffer and millions of Americans will receive poorer coverage than they now have.
We encourage everyone to contact their elected representatives to let them know how the American public feels about the proposed legislation. Many representatives have online petitions regarding health care. Kansas Congressman Jerry Moran, for one, has what we believe is a reasoned approach to reform:
- Make patients more accountable for their own health and therefore, health coverage.
- Enact tort reform so doctors can practice medicine freely. Lip service to “tort reform test projects” is ducking the issue. Several states have shown that real savings can be achieved by ensuring that doctors don’t have to practice “defensive medicine.”
- Let employers participate in “defined contribution” programs to fund health care for employees rather than “defined benefit” programs. That way, consumers can purchase plans appropriate for their needs rather than having to accept a “one size fits all” health plan.
The time to voice your opinion is now!