The Healthcare Debate

A member of our staff sat in on a videoconference of the Healthcare and Economic Development Advisory Committee recently, conducted by U.S. Congressman Steve Austria (R-7th District). He listed his three focal points on the issue that must be addressed: (1) How do you lower costs? (2) How you make healthcare more accessible? (3) How do you keep and improve healthcare?
He has learned through surveys and contacts with constituents that they overwhelmingly want to be able to choose their own doctor and treatment.
By the way, Austria will speak at the Chamber’s Legislative Affairs Committee breakfast on this and other topics on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at the Courtyard by Marriott beginning at 7:30 a.m. Cost is $20 and is for Chamber members only. A table of 10 is $175. Call Pam Johnson at 937-325-7621 or email her at pjohnson@greaterspringfield.com.
Austria said he would like more data on the uninsured statistics that are so often cited in the debate. There are people who have the option from their employer to purchase healthcare and choose not to. There are people temporarily without it because they are between jobs or laid off. Are undocumented workers part of the count? He said there’s a need to prioritize where the focus should be among the uninsured.
He supports Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) which creates a nationwide data base in which the information is contained in a patient chart on a computer, rather than on paper and can be accessed among your primary care physician, cardiologist, oncologist and others to review and share. It promises to create significant cost savings in the long term.
A major debate around the healthcare issue is the single-payer system. The argument is while proponents say the “public option” will compete with private insurance system, the opposition says employers will favor the government’s “public option.” The result will be an eventual single-payer system. Austria said he believes that’s the intent of many proponents of a “public option.”
One business owner said if any system costs him more money, he will have to lay off employees.
To lower costs, Austria said medical liability tort reform needs to be part of the debate and none of the proposals include it. He also said there needs to be incentives for people to invest in their health and well-being. Expanding Health Savings Accounts would be a way to do that, while lowering costs.
Austria asked for input on the idea being floated that would take healthcare reform out of the hands of the legislature and put it into the hands of an independent non-partisan panel, much like the Base Realignment and Closure process that impacted our own Air National Guard Base at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport and Wright-Patterson AFB.
What we must avoid is a system that raises costs for employers and costs jobs and one that leads to a less efficient health care system for all Americans.