A Better Way On Health Care Reform

 

Republicans Have A Better Way On Health Care Reform Later this week members of the U.S. House of Representatives will be asked to vote on legislation that dramatically revamps our Nation’s health care system. The bill is H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act." This 1,990 page, $1.055 trillion Democratic health care proposal unveiled last week by Speaker Pelosi is a measure that raises individual and business taxes and reduces funding for Medicare. The bill if signed into law will be harmful to New Jersey’s taxpayers, seniors and businesses. As such, I will vote against Speaker Pelosi’s health care bill. But make no mistake – I support health care reform. Like the majority of my colleagues I stand in support of common sense steps to broaden health care access and responsible solutions that address the rising cost of health care. I believe reform ought to include portability – allowing people to keep their health insurance whether they change jobs or move to a different state. And no one should be denied coverage for preexisting conditions. Yet the call for common sense health care reform should be one that our Nation can afford. This week I joined like-minded members of Congress in introducing the "Medical Rights and Reform Act" -- a fiscally responsible alternative health care reform measure that reduces costs and expands insurance coverage without raising taxes, rationing care or putting the government between patient and doctor. The Republican reform bill includes medical liability reform that will seek to end junk lawsuits that force doctors to practice defensive medicine driving up health care costs. The GOP alternative will allow families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines while also allowing individuals, small businesses and trade associations to pool together and purchase health insurance at lower prices. And the alternative reform bill provides states with tools to create their own innovative reforms that expand access to health care while lowering costs. These are ideas that have strong, bipartisan support but are absent from the Democrats’ new reform legislation. Instead of focusing on fiscally responsible reforms that have bipartisan support, the Democratic Leadership has chosen a path that ignores good ideas from the Republican side of the aisle. As we prepare to debate and vote on the Speaker’s health care plan, I remain hopeful that the Republican alternative plan will get full and complete consideration and a vote. It is the only health care reform measure that improves what is working in our health care system and fixes what is broken in a fiscally responsible manner without raising taxes or increasing our ever-growing debt and deficit. Leonard Lance represents the 7th Congressional District in New Jersey