Health Care Reform Update

Health care reform legislation is moving forward in the House of Representatives this week.  Now leaders in Congress are attempting to push health care reform across the finish line with the same backroom deals and questionable maneuvers that have defined this debate from the beginning.  
 
Here is what we can expect over the coming days:

The House Budget Committee passed a “reconciliation” vehicle today to advance the Senate legislation passed in December.  The reconciliation package now moves to the House Rules Committee, where changes to the Senate measure will be inserted, including student loan legislation that transfers disbursement and serving obligations to the federal government.

The full House must then accept the Senate-passed bill, along with the reconciliation measure.  Next, the President must sign the Senate legislation into law as the reconciliation package moves to the Senate for consideration, which also requires signature by the President to complete the health care reform process. 

There is nothing simple about this maneuvering or the nearly 3,000 pages of legislation comprising the proposal moving to a final vote in the House.  Beyond the outrageous procedure dictating the pace of debate, the legislation still constitutes a government takeover of health care – which is why I intend to oppose the bill once again.  In other words, it puts the federal government in the driver seat of our nation’s health care system by imposing a combination of mandates and higher costs that force Americans into government regulated exchanges. 

To be absolutely clear, I am a strong proponent of health care reform that drives down costs, increases accessibility and offers consumers affordable choice.  Private insurance reform must also be a focus of our efforts, especially in light of recent premium increases in California and other states.  The legislation in Congress right now falls short on these priorities, particularly on controlling costs for families. 

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that family premiums could rise 10 to 13 percent under the Democratic plan.  These cost increases are due in large part to federalizing the regulation of insurance, reducing choice, curtailing competition among providers and subsidizing the expansion of existing federal programs.  The American economy already faces runaway entitlement costs.  Adding a new government health care program to the list is problematic for several reasons, not the least being its $1 trillion price tag once fully implemented and projected cost increases every year thereafter.        

With cost-containment pushed aside, the legislation also includes a wide range of job-killing tax increases and mandates on all Americans, a point not lost on CBO when it said that “requiring employers to offer health insurance, or pay a fee if they do not, is likely to reduce employment.”  What I and others have proposed are reforms that provide businesses with greater flexibility through quality incentives, as well as emphasizing preventative care, medical malpractice reform and insurance portability.  Whether handled all at once or incrementally, these reforms should be the basis for our efforts.

While details are developing, I also have significant concerns with potential loopholes that would open public insurance exchanges to illegal immigrants.  Members on both sides of the aisle share these concerns and it is important that this issue is resolved despite clear lines of opposition to the overall bill.

Over the course of this debate, I have heard from many of my constituents and, based on these interactions, maintain the belief that there is a much better way forward.  So please keep me informed of your views as health care discussions continue this week.