Is There A Doctor In The House?
By Jimmy PorterH. R. 3200, a massive health care reform bill, is being debated in Congress and in all other media outlets. Most everyone agrees that health care reform is needed because of the numbers uninsured along with spiraling costs. But the current proposal raises as many questions and fears as it provides answers and solutions. What does H.R. 3200 say about availability of quality health care, doctor-patient relationships, abortion, end of life issues, single payer plan, and costs in additional taxes?
The Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Commission has published an analysis of the most distressing aspects of the bill. They arrange their comments under three headings: Sanctity of Human Life, Increased Costs and Taxes, and Increased Bureaucracy and Intrusiveness. Their summation is “any one of these three areas is enough to garner opposition. When combined, they lead to the unavoidable conclusion that H.R. 3200 is extremely dangerous legislation to the health and well- being of most Americans.” You can read the entire article by visiting this link: Health Care Analysis
Recently the Christian Action Commission asked our two Senators and four Representatives for a brief summary of their views on this bill. These are some of their comments.
Senator Thad Cochran: “The current health care system in the United States needs reform. Health care costs are too high, individuals are worried about how they will afford insurance, and the system focuses on treating patients when they are sick instead of keeping them healthy. We should not reform health care in a way that will lead to restricted access to doctors and health care choices. Legislation that creates or could lead to a single payer system will not improve our health care. If we expand Medicaid, Medicare, or create a new government-run insurance option, the result will be government involvement in the doctor-patient relationship. Denial of innovative treatments and cures would be commonplace. This is not patient-centered health reform and I won’t support it.”
Senator Roger Wicker: “While we have a great opportunity to implement positive reforms, we also stand to lose greatly if we take the wrong approach. Many details are yet to be unveiled, but it is apparent they will come with more debt, higher taxes, and lost jobs. The president should call on congressional leadership to go back to the drawing board and write a bipartisan and targeted bill that makes health care more portable, more affordable, and more accessible for all Americans.”
Representative Travis Childers: “While I do not support H.R. 3200 as it is currently written, I hope the House of Representatives can ultimately craft a health care reform bill that focuses on lowering costs for hard-working families, allows people to keep their current plan and doctor, and increases competition in the marketplace. As a Southern Baptist, I can only support a bill that does not include federal funding for abortions. It is also essential that health care reform legislation be drafted in a bipartisan, fiscally responsible manner. During today’s tough economic times especially, we have to balance the need to reform our health care system with the need to practice fiscal discipline.”
Representative Gregg Harper: “We do not need the government takeover bill that is being proposed by the Obama Administration. I believe we can find common ground and real solutions to make health care more accessible and affordable, without the government controlling the system.”
Representative Gene Taylor: “I am opposed to the current health care reform bills being debated in Congress. We cannot add an expensive new subsidized health care program on top of the huge current debt that is $11 trillion and growing rapidly. H. R. 3200 is currently under consideration by House committees. Some changes are being negotiated, but I do not believe it can pass Congress without substantial changes.”
Representative Bennie Thompson: Mr. Thompson was contacted by us August 6th at 1:23 P. M. His staff stated that he had no statement regarding the bill. He was still reviewing it. One must assume he is still reviewing it since there has been no further response. You can contact his office at 202-225-5876 to see if he has come to any conclusions.
When legislative bills are placed on the fast track and the supporters of such bills begin to attack those who oppose them, it is often the result of weak and flawed legislation. H. R. 3200 is such a bill. The President was rushing it and now his administration and colleagues are bashing those who disagree with the content of the bill. “Is there a doctor in the house?” Stay tuned!!