Randy Inman
Jingo's Ruminations
Kim K.
Conference Call
July 13th 2009 23:28
Today I had the pleasure of being on a conference call with Republican Conference Vice Chair, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Ways and Means Committee Member, Congressman Dave Reichert to talk about the Republican plan for healthcare reform. It was a conference call for conservative bloggers and I was invited by Matthew Lundh who works for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. You can see his blog here.
This is the first time I sat in on a conference call so I am going to quote from my notes, the gist of what each said. I will start with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers from the Washington State 5th district.
She said that the House Republicans have a working group chaired by Congressman Roy Blount. One of their concerns of Republicans is the raising number of uninsured coinciding with rising unemployment rates.
Part of what the Republicans think would help is for affordable insurance on the roughly 1/3 of the population that is uninsured and young. She said affordable insurance that can be taken from job to job would be a great option.
She thinks the health care bill will be attempted to pass this month. If it does not then she expects to be in the fall session until a bill is passed. Also a public option is to be avoided if the Republicans can pull this off.
Both Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Congressman Dave Reichert are against a public option subsidized by the government. A public option will put other insurance companies out of business. The government does not have to make a profit so can be cheaper than other healthcare options out there.
Congressman Reichert also added that 75% of Americans are happy with their current health insurance. He wants to help the uninsured get covered while not taking away the plans other Americans are happy with. Both representatives kept stressing that the health care reform must be affordable.
He also stressed that Citizens of the United States must protect the doctor patient relationship and it’s not the job of bureaucratic board to make medical decisions. He says this will lead to delay in treatment and difficulty in finding doctors that will accept patients with this option..
Congressman Reichert also went on to say that people current health insurance plans may be taxed to pay for the public option. He also said that the rumor was Unions (with so much power now) may NOT be taxed to help pay for the public health care option. Also he mentioned that the Democrats were going to tax sugar to help pay for health insurance.
Both also fear a fast vote where they won’t have time to read the health care reform bill and be told to vote yes or no quickly.
Congressman Dave Reichert was also asked by a blogger from his district why he voted for Cap and Trade even though the conference call was on the health care reform. To his credit Reichert (whom I blasted on this very blog) didn’t sidestep the question. He said he saw this simply as an energy bill that would help his state. He said there is money in the Cap and Trade bill for clean coal which people in his district wanted. He said he wasn’t happy with everything in the bill but voted for it to help his district.
This is the first time I sat in on a conference call so I am going to quote from my notes, the gist of what each said. I will start with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers from the Washington State 5th district.
She said that the House Republicans have a working group chaired by Congressman Roy Blount. One of their concerns of Republicans is the raising number of uninsured coinciding with rising unemployment rates.
Part of what the Republicans think would help is for affordable insurance on the roughly 1/3 of the population that is uninsured and young. She said affordable insurance that can be taken from job to job would be a great option.
She thinks the health care bill will be attempted to pass this month. If it does not then she expects to be in the fall session until a bill is passed. Also a public option is to be avoided if the Republicans can pull this off.
Both Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Congressman Dave Reichert are against a public option subsidized by the government. A public option will put other insurance companies out of business. The government does not have to make a profit so can be cheaper than other healthcare options out there.
Congressman Reichert also added that 75% of Americans are happy with their current health insurance. He wants to help the uninsured get covered while not taking away the plans other Americans are happy with. Both representatives kept stressing that the health care reform must be affordable.
He also stressed that Citizens of the United States must protect the doctor patient relationship and it’s not the job of bureaucratic board to make medical decisions. He says this will lead to delay in treatment and difficulty in finding doctors that will accept patients with this option..
Congressman Reichert also went on to say that people current health insurance plans may be taxed to pay for the public option. He also said that the rumor was Unions (with so much power now) may NOT be taxed to help pay for the public health care option. Also he mentioned that the Democrats were going to tax sugar to help pay for health insurance.
Both also fear a fast vote where they won’t have time to read the health care reform bill and be told to vote yes or no quickly.
Congressman Dave Reichert was also asked by a blogger from his district why he voted for Cap and Trade even though the conference call was on the health care reform. To his credit Reichert (whom I blasted on this very blog) didn’t sidestep the question. He said he saw this simply as an energy bill that would help his state. He said there is money in the Cap and Trade bill for clean coal which people in his district wanted. He said he wasn’t happy with everything in the bill but voted for it to help his district.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Those conference calls are a very good idea. My friend, Dean Heller (R-NV) used to have them every week or two and I got to listen in several times. Since I've moved, they don't call me anymore.
I truly hope the government healthcare trash doesn't go through. It would be a terrible thing to have to deal with...