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Johnson to members of Congress: ‘You sign up for the healthcare plan first’
By Heather M. Smith, Staff writer
While congress battles about a government-run health care plan, Rep. Sam Johnson called on members who vote in favor of the plan to be the first to enroll in it.
“Members of congress should stop asking the American people to make sacrifices they are not willing to make themselves,” Johnson said.
On Wednesday, Johnson spoke on the floor of the House touting his support of legislation that calls on members of congress who vote in favor of a government-run health plan to enroll in that plan. A pending health reform proposal has a special carve out for members of congress exempting them from mandatory participation in the public health care plan if it becomes law.
President Barack Obama has been pushing his massive health care reform on members of congress. His goal is to cover the nearly 50 million uninsured Americans while trying to slow the rate of increase in health care costs. He supports a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers, but he said he doesn't want to overturn the system of employer-sponsored health benefits that has served middle-class families for better than half a century. He wants the legislation to be fully paid for and the total cost kept around $1 trillion over 10 years.
“When it comes to health-care spending, we are on an unsustainable course that threatens the financial stability of families, businesses and government itself,” Obama said in a speech in May. “Today, half of all personal bankruptcies stem from medical expenses and too many Americans are skipping that check-up they know they should get, or going without that prescription that would make them feel better, or finding some other way to scrimp and save on their health-care expenses.”
Obama believes his proposed overhaul of the health-care system will reduce long-term growth of health-care costs for businesses and government, protect families from bankruptcy or debt because of the costs and guarantee choice of doctors and health plans. He also said his plan allows for investing in prevention and wellness, improving patient safety and quality of care, assuring affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans, maintaining coverage when you change or lose your job and he said it will end barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions.
While Johnson said he supports improving access to health insurance for all Americans, he fears that the House Democrat plan will “put bureaucrats between patients and doctors and ration care like in Canada and Europe.” Because the $1 trillion price tag on the healthcare plan still leaves 17 million Americans without health insurance, Johnson said there has to be a better, less expensive fix to the system. Johnson said the inefficient spending of money is the real problem, not that Americans currently don't spend enough on health care.
“If members of congress are convinced that the government-run option will deliver the same quality of care as their congressional health plans, then they should be the first in line to enroll,” Johnson said. “Members of congress should stop asking the American people to make sacrifices they are not willing to make themselves.”
Contact Heather Smith at HSmith@acnpapers.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Jason wrote on Jul 24, 2009 1:25 PM:
" God, I'm glad I voted for this guy. I just wish they wouldn't have broke the mold after creating him. Then maybe we'd have more representatives actually representing the people. "
gabriel wrote on Jul 26, 2009 10:31 AM:
" universal healthcare has been a disaster in Massachusetts, and Hawaii, what makes Obama think it will work for the whole country? better care cheaper?the working age voters will be paying to euthanize their parents and grandparents, not to mention slaughter countless unborn infants, and botched abortions. this health care bill is a joke, and the Democrats will own it in 2010-2012 if they pass it. "
Margie Tiritilli wrote on Jul 26, 2009 7:50 PM:
" If the Obama/Kennedy/Daschle Non-Health Care plan is signed into law, then the correct name for this is "Murder by Legislation." When health care is rationed, many will die. What's next - mandatory Euthanasia for Seniors, the chronically ill of any age, Down's Syndrome babies, the Disabled, mentally-challenged and other government-declared "inconvenient people?" If this non-plan is so great, than let Obama put himself and family into it along with Congress - after all - they work for "we the people," and nowhere in the world do employees have better benefits than their employers! "
Merlin wrote on Aug 1, 2009 12:24 AM:
" Margie T. I agree completely with you. The government will pay $4500 for a used car and deny/ration health care for seniors. This is barbaric. We have wonderful technology and will not be able to avail it. The cost of Pelosi's plane trips could save a life. People are living in tents in the US and the Obamas are using the government as a travel agency. They should use date night in a homeless shelter. $300,000 to fly a plane over New York. The government is saving the wild horses, otters, fish, and turtles but our seniors are a devalued generation. The waste of our taxpayer money is disgraceful. Why aren't the baby boomers outraged. They will be next. Will the preemies from in vitro be denied neonatal ICU because of the cost. Sam Johnson has the right idea - you vote for it and you are automatically enrolled in the plan you voted for. How arrogant the government has become. HOW DARE THEY!! treat the seniors as though we have no worth!!! SHAME ON OBAMA, PELOSI and REID and any others that vote for this planned genocide. "
troseter wrote on Aug 2, 2009 3:09 AM:
" The members of congress are already signed up, this is why the dems want to spread what congress feels only they are entitled to, to the general public. I sam johnson a complete moron? "
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The problem is, many companies are dropping or reducing their health care coverage, putting more and more Americans on the rolls of the non-insured. Once your'e out of a group plan, you will be charged astronomically higher premiums, not be covered for existing conditions, or not be able to get insurance at all.
So the government-backed health plan would be a safety net for anyone who does not have health insurance, but no one is being forced to quit what they have and join a government plan. Not even members of Congress. "