Mike Coffman on health care reform (HR 3590, HR 3962)

Several weeks ago I e-mailed Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-R, CD 6) about Obamacare (HR 3590, HR 3962), which is being debated in the Senate. The letter he is sending to almost everyone on health care follows the jump:

Thank you very much for contacting my office regarding healthcare reform.  As this issue is dominating discussions both in Washington and at home in Colorado, your input is especially timely and important to me.  I appreciate your thoughts on this issue and the opportunity to respond.

 

Our nation is currently engaged in a great debate regarding reforming our nation’s healthcare delivery system.  I believe that this very important issue demands our immediate attention.  The goals for all are the same; decrease costs while improving access and quality of care.  As with many issues of the day, the disagreement lies in the manner in which we accomplish this.

 

On November 7, 2009, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 3962, the Affordable Health Carefor America Act.  The Democrats claim their legislation will not increase the federal budget deficit.  The increased government involvement in healthcare will take the form of a newly established, government run, insurance program designed to compete with the private market.  I believe that this is a thinly veiled attempt to bring about a single payer system in which the government controls all healthcare. 

 

Worse yet, this bill has an estimated cost of nearly $1.3 trillion in federal spending at a time when we are experiencing record level deficits.  It will stifle economic recovery by instituting an up to 6% surtax on small businesses that cannot afford to provide their employees coverage.  Those that do provide coverage face potential fines of $500,000 for honest mistakes made when filing employee health benefit paperwork.  The bill includes $729.5 billion in tax increases overall, providing health insurance subsidies for low income families of 4 making up to $88,000.  According to the Congressional Budget Office this mandate could result in the loss of over 5.5 million jobs at a time our economy can little afford it.  For all of these reasons amongst many others, I voted against this bill.

 

Now that the House of Representatives has acted the Senate must pass their own healthcare reform proposal.  In the event that the Senate passes such a measure, the two versions will then come before a Conference Committee of Representatives and Senators to reconcile any differences in the pieces of legislation.  Once such a compromise is reached, the House and Senate respectively will then vote on passage of this final healthcare reform proposal.

 

Instead of instituting new taxes that will cripple small businesses, we must work for common sense alternatives.  I support tax incentives for individuals to purchase private health insurance.  This would be equivalent to what a business receives for enrollment of their employees.  I also support rational standards for the portability of health plans from one job to the next and allowing small businesses to band together for the purchase of healthcare insurance so that they may receive the same discounts that larger corporations receive.  Insurance reform must cover those afflicted with pre-existing medical conditions.  We must also address medical malpractice reform.  Rising healthcare costs will never be controlled as long as baseless lawsuits are brought forward by unscrupulous individuals in an effort to win oversized damages from medical professionals who were only trying to help them.  

 

These issues are addressed in House Resolution 3400, the Empowering Patients First Act.  The text of this legislation can be viewed at www.congress.gov, and entering the bill number, H.R. 3400.  I am therefore very proud to be listed as an original co-sponsor on this legislation.  Introduced July 30th, 2009, by Representative Tom Price, a physician from Georgia, it was referred to the House Committees of jurisdiction where it awaits further consideration.  By providing these reforms, we can expand health insurance to more Americans while also protecting the free market’s ability to compete over your business.  

 

Congress will continue to debate this issue into the coming months.  As we move forward, input from citizens such as yourself is invaluable as I consider this issue.  Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.  Please visit my website at www.coffman.house.gov if you would like to contact me on another issue, or for information on legislation that I am sponsoring, press releases, and my stance on other issues that are important to you.

 

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