Goose and Gander

Here is a question for consideration.

Below is an article regarding a plan that has been in the Senate for 5 years, backed by 15 Senators, both parties. Of course, it has not gotten to a vote because it does not come from a Marxist think tank and does not require state control.

The plan does not cost the U.S. a penny, per CBO, and uses the Congressional plan as a model. Let us assume that the plan is as advertised: it works, lowers costs, doesn't bankrupt the country.

The question is, then, so what? That is, are we still turning to socialist model not contemplated by the Constitution and not legal in our tradition because it is better?

To be honest, one cannot make a claim where a bad plan is afoot, then put the claim aside if a good plan arrives. By that I mean, the states did not empower the federal government to regulate the health business. It is as simple as that. So, whether you like a plan, to my view, is not relevant.

Wyden tackles U.S. healthcare reform during town hall event Written by Valliant Corley, Pilot staff writer September 05, 2009 10:41 am

GOLD BEACH – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden told constituents in Gold Beach Friday that he has been working on a bill for five years to give Americans the same health coverage that members of Congress receive that would not cost the budget $1 trillion as the one being considered by Congress would cost.

“This bill has been analyzed by the Budget Office and would not add anything to the federal deficit,” Wyden, D-Ore., said at his annual Curry County Town Hall meeting.

The crowd at the Gold Beach High School gymnasium numbered less than 100, compared to overflow crowds drawn by Rep. Peter DeFazio when he held similar meetings in Brookings, Gold Beach and Port Orford last month. But the questions asked at Wyden’s Town Hall were similar to the ones heard by DeFazio, questions about the national health insurance legislation being promoted by Congress and President Obama.

“Our country is going to be bankrupted by the plan,” said one speaker.

Wyden said there is more than one approach to the health plans being pushed in Washington.

“There is the president’s approach, which he chose not to introduce” because of action in Congress.

“There is the second approach – the bill being moved in Congress,” Wyden said.

He said the budget office analysis shows that approach would cost $1 trillion.

“Then there’s the approach I take with the Healthy America Act,” which would not add to the national deficit.

Wyden said his approach is being backed by 15 senators, “almost evenly divided Democrats and Republicans.”

“This bill is based on the idea that both political parties have made a contribution,” Wyden said. “The Democrats are right – you can’t fix it unless everyone is covered.

“The Republicans have contributed as well – stay away from price control. Make sure there’s a choice. Choices lead to competition, which holds the price down.”

He said the 15 senators, including conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats, agree.

“We have stayed clear of the government run approach,” he said. “There is a model here – the kind of health care delivery system the Congress has.”

Wyden said members of Congress, and other federal employees, have a choice to enroll in many different health care plans.

“The theory is these plans have to compete. If the insurance companies jack up rates in 2009, in 2010 you can say ‘I’m out of here. I’m going with someone else,’” Wyden said.

Wyden said he was asked if he read the bills the Senate considers.

“I read this,” he said of his proposed bill. “I wrote this. I wrote the section that guarantees you can keep the coverage you have. If you see you can get a better deal at the exchange, you can go over there and you can keep the change in your pocket.”

Wyden said his plan is based on choice, competition and accountability.

He was asked if his system would allow similar coverage across state lines, as is not the case in some insurance policies today.

“We are open to that,” Wyden said. “There may be some ways to do that. The system works for Congress and federal employees.”

Another audience member said that 47 million Americans are denied coverage by insurance companies.

“If you force insurance companies to offer me a policy at $1,000 a month, at $1,000 a month I’ve got to stay among those 47 million not insured,” he said.

“You can’t fix that without turning private insurance model on its head,” Wyden said. “Today, it’s largely all about insurance companies scouring people’s health records, then sending sick people over to the government (to Medicaid). What we say is they no longer cherry pick. Companies will be required to insure large groups, which lowers administrative costs. Rates would be based on a large pool.”

Wyden said he would not support any health care bill unless it applies to members of Congress.

“I wrote the bill based on the coverage members of Congress have,” he said.

One audience member said each time she calls someone in Washington with a question, she gets the answer that it is a work in progress.

“We need something not put through haphazardly,” she said. “It’s got to be put together. Not just put together overnight or in one or two months.”

Wyden said his bill is not just a work in progress.

“We wrote this bill over five years, developed from Town Hall meetings like this,” he said.

“People didn’t know exactly what we (members of Congress) had, but they figured if we had it, it ought to be good,” Wyden said. “This bill was born and nurtured in Town Hall meetings like this one.”

Another from the audience wanted to know when business health would return to the United States.

“I’m tired of seeing everything made in China,” he said. “When are we going to get our jobs back?”

Wyden said a big part of the problem is health care costs that raise the cost of doing business.

“And there is the tax law,” he said also contributes to loss of U.S. jobs.

Wyden said he is getting ready to introduce a flat fee tax rate that would also help business and create jobs.

He said at a recent meeting between U.S. and Chinese, “Everybody on the Chinese side spoke fluent English. Everybody on our side didn’t speak a word of Chinese. They were hooked up to translators.

“We want to build things and grow things in the United States, add value to them and ship them somewhere,” he said.

He said the U.S. also needs to change its attitude about timber.

“We’ve got to go in there and take this second growth out,” he said. “What it’s going to do is to help us get more good paying jobs.”

Wyden said he opposes the single payer insurance system that is being promoted in Washington.

He said his bill would expand the number of people today who could get private insurance.

“People on Medicare and the military would be granted private selections,” he said. “Most Americans today do not have a choice.

“I came to the conclusion quite some time ago – to get things done it had to do everything possible to be bipartisan,” he said, noting the conservatives and liberals who are on his bill.

He said his bill does call for tort reform, legal reform, to hold down costs that have spiked the cost of medical care.

“All of these people – insurance, lawyers, labor – all have to discuss the things they’ve received in the past,” Wyden said.

He was asked why illegal aliens shouldn’t be prohibited from getting free medical care, except for emergency treatment.

“Illegal aliens – what we are saying in our bill, the adults not documented do not get a dime of” free care. He said children did not choose to come to this country illegally. “The youngsters do get health care.”

Wyden said a major part of health reform, is that Americans’ lives are built around personal responsibility.

“Most of this cannot be legislated. You can’t write a law that says ‘Thou shalt be a good parent.’ That’s personal responsibility. I do think personal responsibility should be in health care as well.

“Most people in America don’t get health insurance who can’t afford it,” he said. “A lot of people with lots of money, really, they find it’s a better deal to go to the hospital emergency room if they get sick.”

He said his bill would encourage personal responsibility.

“Seniors who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, if they lower their blood pressure and cholesterol, they would be eligible for reduced part D (Medicare) coverage costs,” he said. “People who take their kids to an anti-obesity program, parents would get a break on their premiums.”

He said that would result in medical costs going down

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