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Childers: Health bill in House no good
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"I will not support it, as it's constituted today," he said Monday to the Daily Journal Editorial Board.
Childers, a Democrat from Booneville, said he's looking for reform that will:
- Contain costs.
- Allow patients a choice of doctors and to keep their current insurance if they desire.
- Increase competition among insurance providers.
The former Prentiss County chancery clerk also said he's not in any rush to pass the legislation.
"I'm more concerned that we do this right, not fast," he said, pushing back against the Obama administration's call for a bill by the August congressional recess and then by the end of 2009.
Childers is serving his second year in the House of Representatives after winning a special election in May 2008 and a two-year term in November.
Childers said he's especially interested in finding ways to cut waste out of the health care system to hold down costs.
The Congressional Budget Office, he noted, identified more than 100 ways to save money in health care.
"If we don't cut costs now, we are never going to cut them," he added.
Childers said CBO hasn't figured out how much HR 3200 will cost.
Protecting small businesses from government mandates to provide health insurance is crucial, Childers said.
"Why should we punish the only people who are creating jobs?" he said.
Childers also said he favors greater competition among private health insurance carriers, rather than a government-run public option.
"My first preference is to give the private sector an opportunity to step up to the plate and do the right thing," he said. If it doesn't, then Congress can consider alternatives.
He said he believes health care reform can occur without raising taxes, especially "if we're serious about cutting waste."
He also said a more centrist bill developed in the Senate is more likely to pass and more likely to get his support.
He criticized HR 3200's proposal to use current Medicare rates to reimburse physicians for patient care, when rural doctors like those in Mississippi aren't being paid as much as doctors in more populous states.
Childers also criticized health care reform opponents, especially Republicans, who he said haven't offered much help with ideas.
Contact Patsy R. Brumfield at (662) 678-1596 or patsy.brumfield@djournal.com.
Mr. Childers has no choice but to pander to a wide range of constituency back home to a degree but MUST also remain loyal to campaign contributors and fat-cat lobbyist donors that he has obligated himself to along the way....it's not a walk in the park.
It may not be seem right or be in the best interest of the public but politicians, including Rep. Childers, must rely on large amounts of big business donor $$cash$$ to seek election or have any hope of reelection. Once a congressmen is in Washington D.C., he or she is bombarded with willing lobbyists loaded up with $$$$ in their pockets representing big business, big banks, big insurance, big oil...etc. Once these $$contributions$$ have swapped into the hands of the legislator, he or she has obligated themselves to vote or assure legislation that benefits the donor.....it's very simple.
Rep. Childers being a 'blue dog' Dem puts him in an extremely lucrative position due to the fact that 'blue dog' Dems are considered a swing vote so to speak when it comes time to voting on issues that may pose a threat to the big health care providers $$$profit$$$ margins. So....I would guess that health care lobbyists are lined up at Rep. Childers door similiar to the long line of uninsured at a Mississippi unemployment office these days.
The Hattiesburg American reported on Friday, July 24th, that Fiscally Conservative House Dems, including Mississippi Gene Taylor and Travis Childers, thrust themselves into the middle of the health care debate, blocking legislation drafted by their own party's leadership.
As our current political systems stands today, do legislators have any other choice but to represent the big business $$$$$?? No!
What do the voters have to offer other than a measley vote? Not much in comparison to the big business $$$$$ lobbyists. Once an incumbent, especially in Mississippi, a legislator sits pretty comfortable and is not removed or defeated from office until he or she decides to leave on their own due to a large war chest of big business donor $$$$$ on hand to throw at a campaign....AND walk away with what's left over.
Whether we like it or not, that's OUR political system in a nutshell.
Rep. Childers position of..."favors greater competition among private health insurance carriers, rather than a government-run public option" strongly indicates that he's likely to have been wined & dined by a fat-cat lobbyist representing healthcare providers and gifted or promised a generous contribution of $$$$$$ skimmed right off the backs of tax payers or policy holders.
The 'greater' competition among private health insurance carriers is what has led our nation into a health care crisis and prompted the current & critical debate in the first place. But oh well, those guys are the ones holding the big $$$$$ and ya know that big $$$$$ is what makes Washington D.C. go round n round.