Story by the Forney Messenger

KAUFMAN – Congressman Jeb Hensarling discussed solutions to our nation’s health care crisis with Kaufman County residents on Monday, less than two weeks after a key House of Representatives committee approved legislation that could set the stage for a government takeover of your health care. Over 100 Kaufman residents joined Hensarling at the Kaufman County Courthouse Annex to discuss this critical issue.

“Many of the solutions to our most challenging health care problems can be found in places like Kaufman and Forney rather than in Washington,” Hensarling said. “I was encouraged by the feedback and solutions I heard from patients today. There is no doubt that we must fix health care in our country. I want to ensure that you can have access to the health care you need, when you need it, and at a price you can afford.”

Hensarling opened the meeting by discussing his principles for health care reform. When he served as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Hensarling commissioned a Health Care Task Force to develop a patient-centered health care reform plan. The task force developed the following principles that guide Hensarling’s approach to the September showdown on government ran health care: 1) Every American, regardless of health or financial status, should have access to affordable health care coverage of their choice. Nobody should go bankrupt because they get sick; 2) Health care in America should be family-focused and patient-centered. It must put patients, in consultation with their doctors, in control of their health care. Your health care decisions should not be made by your employer, a health care plan selected by your employer, or the government; 3) People should own and control their health care plan, and it should be personal and portable; 4) Americans who are happy with their current plan should be allowed to keep it; 5) Forcing Americans into a government health care program will not solve America’s health care challenges.

“Every American—no matter how sick they are and regardless of their financial status—should have access to health care,” said Hensarling. “Americans should know that if they get sick, they can get the care they need, when they need it and that they won’t go bankrupt in the process.”

Hensarling also discussed the evidence out of the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that 9 in 10 Americans believe their existing plan meets their projected health needs. He said, “While many East Texans need access to care, those who are happy with their current plan shouldn’t be forced to give it up.”

Hensarling followed with an overview of what drives up the cost of health care, making unaffordable for too many Americans. He said, “Health care is expensive in America because there is so much waste, fraud and abuse associated with it. That’s what happens when the government and insurance companies make too many decisions about your care. I’ve voted for reasonable medical liability reforms that the American Medical Association has noted could save between $70 billion and $126 billion in one year alone. There’s something wrong when it’s easier to sue the doctor than it is to see the doctor. This is just one example of how we can cut costs and improve care. We should focus on things like preventative care, wellness programs and medical breakthroughs.”

The discussion then turned to a review of the health care plan offered by Washington Democrats. Hensarling praised them for sharing his goal of quality, affordable health care for all Americans, but questioned the ultimate results of their proposals. “If you like the way the government is running our banks, our mortgage companies, AIG and General Motors, you’ll love their takeover of your health care,” said Hensarling.

Hensarling stated, “Congress needs to remember the Hippocratic Oath when crafting a plan – ‘first do no harm’, said Hensarling. “I am cautious about the proposals I have seen because 1) bureaucrats would stand between doctors and patients in the exam room, 2) they will delay treatment and produce lower quality care for East Texans and 3) they would force 120 million Americans out of their current health care plan.

Hensarling talked about the difference between patient-centered health care and a government takeover. He said, “Frankly, I’d prefer to trust the opinion of a physician, with their years of training rather than a government bureaucrat when it comes to the care my constituents and family receive,” said Hensarling. “And when it comes to prompt treatment, I cannot imagine what it would be like for my wife and me to wait on a bureaucrat to decide when—or if—one of our children can receive a treatment that a doctor has ordered for them. To watch my children suffer as we wait for government approval would be too much to bear. I have serious concerns about the quality of care in a system that prioritizes controlling costs over providing care,” said Hensarling.

Hensarling also addressed a growing concern of many older Americans whose decisions about end-of-life treatment could end up in the hands of a Washington bureaucrat. He said, “Frankly, I’d be worried. Patients and their families should make the ultimate decisions about how end-of-life care is delivered, not a bureaucrat who doesn’t think a treatment such or a test is ‘cost efficient’.”

Hensarling praised the accomplishments of American innovation in health care and expressed concern about the chilling effect a government takeover would have on new treatments. “As a result of American breakthroughs, we lead the world in access to technologies like MRI’s and allowing those afflicted by diseases like cancer to enjoy a higher rate of survival than our European counterparts. A government takeover of health care will stifle these inventions that have made us leaders, leading to less choice and fewer treatment options for our parents, spouses and children.”

Congressman Hensarling added, “There is a fundamental decision being made in this debate over who will control health care in America. Will it be parents, families, and doctors? Or will it be Washington bureaucrats or insurance company accountants? I am ready to work together with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to deliver a health care program that works – but I cannot support a system that emphasizes cost over quality and chooses the opinion of the government over that of the physician.”

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This story and any accompanying photo(s) were originally published in the Forney Messenger and are Copyright © 2009, Forney Messenger, Inc. and have been used by permission. The Forney Messenger is the publisher of Kaufman County’s oldest newspaper and may be found online at www.ForneyMessengerInc.com

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