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Childers: I want to be part of the health care solution
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But it's got to cut costs, eliminate waste, stop penalizing people with pre-existing conditions and reward personal responsibility.
"If the Senate offers a better bill, I am not opposed to that," said the conservative Democrat from Booneville during an hour-long districtwide telephone conference Tuesday night.
Some 7,230 people listened in, and 17 callers asked questions of Childers, who's serving his first full two-year term in the House.
The conversation was civil and topics ranged widely through the hour-plus event. Callers came from Hernando to Tupelo.
Off the bat, Childers said he doesn't support a House bill, HR 3200, which has been worked on by three committees.
Among the answers from Childers:
- He won't support any legislation that includes funding for abortions.
- Insurance exchanges, where private companies offer options, may bring competition to help lower premiums.
- Care must taken not to hurt small businesses with onerous mandates.
- Illegal aliens should not be covered, period.
As for requiring individual coverage, Childers said he thinks government mandates have merit to avoid treating people in expensive emergency room settings, when all they really needed was a doctor's visit.
"We have to put some personal responsibility on people," he added.
How we get there isn't on the table yet, though, he said.
In the end, Childers said, "I would not vote for a bill I wouldn't agree to be part of.
"I want to be part of the solution."
Childers also he doesn't believe HR 3200 proposes so-called "death panels," but would allow Medicare to pay for a voluntary, patient-initiated consultation with a physician about end-of-life situations.
"It makes sense to pay for a doctor to sit own and help people make decisions," he said.
The congressman said he chose the telephone-style event because it's a fast way to reach many constituents throughout the 24-county district.
Childers and many other members of Congress are spending their August recess touring their districts. Many events focusing on health care reform have drawn large crowds of vocal constituents.
Contact Patsy R. Brumfield at (662) 678-1596 or patsy.brumfield@djournal.com. Read Patsy's blog, From the Front Row, on NEMS360.com.
Also, I was unaware that Mr. Childers' district is so vast that he just couldn't arrange for at least one face to face meeting with his constituents, but rather has to rely on tele-conferences in order to cover it all.
The bottom line is that he's AFRAID to meet face to face with his constituents. He wouldn't be able to control the questions in such a forum.
I voted for him because I thought he was a good man, but he's proven me wrong and he'll not get another vote from me.
The whole bill should be scrapped and begin with simple bills that all can read and understand.
First, pass meaningful tort reform. Yes I know the argument is that would only save 1%. However that does not take into account all the test Drs have to preform to protect themselves from the trial lawyers.
I keep hearing about the greedy insurance companies, they are not nearly as greedy as the trial lawyers. Insurance companies do have to take risk to cover health care cost. Trial lawyers only have to exploit clients.
Pass a bill to send all illegal aliens back to their homeland. The government says there are too many to send back..You do it one illegal at a time. If the government will take action to make sure they cannot work then many will return on their own, especially if they think the government is serious.
Stop making insurance companies pay for un-insured people.
Mr. Childers, work to recend the stimilus spending, get the government out of the banking and automotive business. This congress is already spending $1.85 for every dollar it collects. Mississippi has to live within their means, US government should do the same.
The stimilus bill is killing jobs in Mississippi. Yes I know it scares people who loose their job to worry about health insurance.
You want those that loose their jobs to be able to keep their insurance? How will they pay?
Make job creation your goal, not just send Mississippi a few paltry dollars.
We will have more tax revenue if congress will let free enterprise work.
He did go on record as saying he will not vote for a bill that funds abortions, but did not go as far as to say whether he would vote for language that would specifically exclude any funding for abortion. He did say he opposes funding for illegal alien health care.
The most troubling statement from Congressman Childers is one Ms. Brumfield glosses over. The Congressman did NOT say he opposes HR3200. Instead, what he said repeatedly was that he "cannot support the current bill AS WRITTEN." Lots of wiggle room in there for Childers to wrestle with his conscience until he decides he has to vote for HR3200, imperfections and all, just as he did when the stimulus bill was being debated.
Ms. Brumfield also states the Congressman is spending the August recess touring his district. I was not aware the first district included Israel. How would the average constituent know what the Congressman is doing? To date, his office has not posted a schedule on his tax dollar supported website.
Also, nowhere on his website is there any mention of his stance on HR3200. He has consistently avoided making any specific public stand in opposition to HR3200 aside from the one that he "cannot support HR3200 as written."
What I heard last night was not an open exchange of ideas. What I heard was well orchestrated, very careful non-committal talk from a congressman who can't remember whether he serves the people of Mississippi or his party leaders.