Health Care Town Hall Wrap Up

We had a terrific turnout for the health care town hall Thursday night, over 450 people at the event and 145 viewers watched live online. While the invited keynote speaker was not present, he was represented by a copy of the 2000 page health “reform” bill. This bill and all its portents were the topics of the evening.

Over 450 patriots filed into the Two Hearts banquet hall. The hall owners were born and raised in the third district and are justifiably concerned about how the health care bills before congress are going to affect their business. Attendees were invited to come forward without regard to party or position and ask questions, and many took advantage of the opportunity to express their concerns and make their expectations known. Edward Crim tentatively told the crowd he was a Democrat running against Russ Carnahan and received an unexpected standing ovation.

I want to get to the meat of the evening, which were the questions being asked of those who stood patiently in line for time at the microphone. Hundreds of others sat and listened as I did my best to give answers to direct questions. I also listened carefully to what was being said, and here are my thoughts.

You all are not buying it – There is no other way to put it. Carnahan and congress are promising to add millions of people to government funded health care. They promise to cut Medicare and Medicaid by 500 billion dollars to help pay for it. They promise to do all this without raising taxes, rationing care or exploding our national debt. None of the hundreds of people in attendance believe this, and are frankly sick of being thought of as fools.

I completely agree. Long ago I determined that this legislative effort is not about making needed reforms to an otherwise excellent health care system, but a naked grab for power. By making Washington bureaucrats gatekeepers for our access to health care, we are being set up to slide into the morass of dependency upon the Federal government.

You feel your hard work is rewarded by being stuck with the bill for everyone else – One speaker told us that her family works hard, pays their bills and plays by the rules. She noted that families that do not live such a disciplined life have a much easier time getting medical services and insurance than her family. Another speaker was angry that deals were being cut behind closed doors for preferred groups, excluding them from aspects such as the tax on “Cadillac” health care plans (or as I like to call it – good health insurance).

These people are absolutely right. Washington right now is cutting deals with politically connected interest groups like unions so that their health insurance is exempted from taxes while the rest of us must pay. Like Senator Ben Nelson’s “Cornhusker Kickback” this is a bribe offered to people for support, a naked example of corruption. This insidious effort pits neighbor against neighbor. If you and your cousin have good health insurance, but your cousin gets hers through her union, you get taxed, but she does not. This is as un-American as it is bitter. It makes a mockery of all the promises of bringing Americans together.

You think it is unconstitutional – I am working on the Missouri Sovereignty Project with elected officials in Missouri to introduce laws that will re-assert our state’s 10th amendment prerogatives. I am disappointed that our state attorney general is not joining the AGs from other states in challenging the special deals afforded states like Nebraska and Louisiana. These sweetheart deals, no matter how well-intentioned, are blatantly unconstitutional and it is up to the people to stop them.

You want simple, common-sense reforms – Related to the first observation, you know that there is much mischief, waste, and outright thievery to be found in 2000 pages of legislation. One man said he has read it, and pointed out taxes and regulations that will drive up costs and reduce choices. A doctor asserted that Medicare and Medicaid regulations and requirements were creating barriers between he and his patients, and this monster of a bill would create layers of bureaucracy would only make things worse. Congress has already borrowed unimaginable sums of money for bank bailouts and “stimulus” spending. The waste, fraud and transparent payoffs are ample evidence that any health care legislation that passes will be expensive and ineffective.

Like you, I am interested in simple reforms that increase liberty and reduce barriers to innovation. No reform should require an army of wasteful bureaucrats with time on their hands and turf to protect. No reform should require mountains of new debt. Reforms should actually reduce costs and increase access without encroaching on liberty. I’ve listed actions and reforms I think are the first steps to improving health care.

Repeal the bill – Both the senate and house bills stink to the high heavens, and whatever horror movie hybrid that might pass simply has to be repealed if enacted. End of discussion. I pledge to resist those who expect me to simply “move on” and allow Americans to labor under this awful enterprise.

Level the playing field – Health insurance as a benefit of employment is a relic from World War Two. In another misguided attempt by the government to regulate the economy wage controls forced businesses to offer benefits to compete for workers. Currently businesses can deduct the cost of health insurance, but individuals cannot. Rectifying this would be an important step in increasing the number of people who can afford insurance.

Increase Competition – The explosion of costs in those states dominated by a few carriers meeting high levels of regulation and coverage mandates are what has lead to health care costs being a Federal issue. State insurance regulators need to reduce barriers to competition within their states and allow market demand – not coverage mandates – determine the coverage that a company should offer. One remedy would be to enact Federal legislation to permit interstate markets.

Risk Pools – Currently, small businesses and individuals have great difficulty getting the insurance rates large employers have, and have far less price stability because they are not able to band together to create risk pools. States need to make adjustments to laws and regulations to allow associations and other private entities to create pools for purchasing insurance.

Tort Reform – I know that doctors use more health care dollars practicing “defensive medicine” – ordering tests and treatments that are less for their medical benefit and more to avoid being sued. This is a real problem. However, the federal government needs to avoid trying to impose a one-size-fits-all tort liability solution. When tort reform is needed, I think states and local governments are best positioned to do it.