by Michael Ostrolenk. (More news and views from Capitol Hill by Mr. Ostrolenk at The Hills Have Eyes Blog.)
A new report shows that 60% of healthcare spending is controled by local, state and the federal government. It is a total of $1.35 trillion out of $2.24 trillion. Senator Coburn responded to the CRS report which he requested with the following;
“Defenders of the Reid bill say we need ‘reform’ to keep insurance companies honest. A better question would be: ‘Who’s going to keep the government honest?’ This new report shows that the so-called ‘reform’ effort is based on a false premise. Government is already the majority-shareholder in our health care system,” Dr. Coburn said.
“Many of the problems we face today in health care, such as cost and lack of choice and access to quality care, are the consequence of government interference. These problems will only get worse if Congress spends $2.5 trillion on legislation to put the government in charge of more of our health care decisions,”
Obviously, anyone who opposes more Government control of medicine (and corporate welfare) must oppose Reid’s bill in the U.S. Senate and support Coburn’s efforts to defeat it but it would also be helpful to support positive measures (in the U.S. House) including;
Congressman Paul’s H.R. 1495, the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act of 2009, which according to the Library of Congress- Thomas:
(1) revise the tax credit for the health insurance costs of a taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, and dependents to increase the amount of, and expand eligibility criteria for, such credit;
(2) permit up to $500 of unused health benefits under a health flexible spending arrangement to be carried over to a succeeding plan year or paid directly to an employee as compensation;
(3) revise the tax deduction for payments to a health savings account to eliminate the requirement for coverage under a high deductible health plan; and
(4) repeal the 7.5% threshold limitation on the tax deduction of medical and dental expenses.
AND
H.R.2629 Coercion is Not Health Care Act , also a Ron Paul bill which according to Thomas would prohibit requiring the purchase or maintenance of health insurance coverage as a condition for participation in, or access to, any federal program or for federal benefit eligibility.
Another bill to support would be Rep. Shadegg‘s H.R. 3217, which permits the purchase of health insurance across state lines which will ultimately lower costs due to the resulting interstate competition.
