Slowly but surely, some Republicans are starting to come around to the idea of meaningful health care reform. Bush Administration HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Mark McClellan, who ran both the Food and Drug Administration and the Medicare and Medicaid programs under George W. Bush were the first to announce their support for health care reform, and they were followed by former U.S. Senators Bill Frist and Bob Dole, as well as Howard Baker. In fact, Frist went on record as saying of the health care reform bill working its way through the Senate Finance Committee, “I would end up voting for it. … As leader, I would take heat for it. … That’s what leadership is all about.”
Former Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is the latest Republican to support health care reform, issuing the following statement:
“Right now in this country we have the best opportunity we’ve had in recent history to begin to create real health care reform that will expand coverage for those who don’t have it and lower costs for those who do. Access to affordable quality health care for all Americans should be our nation’s goal. Families and businesses across our country are struggling every day under the health care status quo. We are a country that can do better, and our citizens deserve better. The Congress and the Administration are working on bipartisan, practical solutions to improve our health care system. I urge all Members of Congress to put aside their narrow partisan differences and seize this moment for health care reform. We will fail our country if we do not succeed. This can also be the beginning of entitlement reform. We know that our entitlement programs cannot be sustained unless we begin with health care reform.”
It’s time for meaningful health care reform, and I’m glad to see some Republicans aren’t afraid to voice their agreement.
Zach, the bill starting through the Senate doesn’t reform health care, it reforms health care insurance.
Are you aware how the current bill would affect you? Your wallet?
I never thought I’d say this but I wish Bill Frist was back in the Senate.
Yeah, but I’m willing to bet if he were actually still a Senator he wouldn’t vote in favor of reform. It’s easy for him to speak in hypotheticals, seeing as how he doesn’t have a constituency to worry about angering.
I don’t disagree with that statement at all. If he was still in the Senate he’d probably be railing against reform, party politics is a zero-sum game. Attack health care reform and Obama, score points for Republicans at the expensive of sick and dying Americans.
Exactly…..and that’s the problem. I’m willing to bet that a fair number of these politicos who are railing against health care reform know in their hearts that it’s actually the right thing to do.
The republicans are NOT against health care reform. They are against another government program that wastes more money that taxpayers have to deal with. Money that they don’t have.
The politicians have had plenty of time to fix this and it can be fixed with out nationalizing it, it can be fixed with out spending money. All that needs to happen is out leaders have to start doing some work on the problem.
Henry
Say what?
Every Repubican I know wants to continue the job-oriented healthcare approach, wants to allow pre-existing medical condition rejections, wants to allow caps on health insurance,wants to allow summary rejection of claims for chronic disease, and wants poor people to pay $1,000 a month for health insurance to insurance companies. They also want government paid healthcare to specifically exclude illegal immigrants regardless of circumstances or health conditions, and they want tort reform so that medical mistakes made on you and I are not too expensive for insurance companies, doctors, and hospitals.
They don’t want change. They want more of the same …except for less risk and expense.
Hey, if you have other news about a Republican Plan then lead the way. I will follow.
Henry, what’s your solution to fix healthcare?
Solutions to expensive health care and insurance:
Dismantle unreasonable lawsuits. It’s as expensive to defend an innocent doctor as a guilty one. The ones that are valid should get their day in court, and have actual damages, but punitive damages should be capped. Pain and suffering is pain and suffering. Can you really put a price on that? Keep in mind I said actual should be paid. If long-term care is needed, make that part of the settlement. (oooh. Just offended trial attorneys who make big donations to Dems.)
Tax Cadillac plans. Yes, that’s in the Baucus mark, but expected to die there. Why? Lot of union members have Cadillac plans. (oooh. Just offended unions who make big donations to Dems.)
Mandate actual billing laws. Don’t put that number on my bill if no one is ever expected to pay it. Let me know exactly what a procedure, prescription, or doctors visit will cost BEFORE I’ve had it! (ooh. Just offended insurance companies. They contribute slightly Republican according to OpenSecrets.org.)
Allow for health care insurance competition across state lines. (Ditto)
Allow consortiums for group coverage. A 100 small car dealers want to get together and make a group? Go for it. That’s currently not allowed but it would provide great economy of scale. (Again. Insurance companies rely on expensive small group coverage for big profits.)
Stop advertising for drugs. (Whoops! There go the drug companies. They lean Republican, too.)
Stop advertising for medical procedures and hospitals. (Well, if there was anyone left in this debate that hadn’t been offended, I probably just took care of it.)
Now, of all those reasonable ideas, only taxing Cadillac health plans is currently on the table.
What say you to your Democratic approach? Are they truly doing everything or just doing something in hopes of false glory?