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Town Hall Meeting: Childers
answers tough questions
Published Thursday, August 20
By Brant Sappington
Staff Writer
Congressman Travis Childers believes some form of health care reform is essential to improving the quality of life for America’s working families, but the most recent reform bill considered in the House of Representatives is the wrong way to reach that goal.
The first-term Democratic congressman from Booneville made clear his opposition to House Bill 3200, the health care reform legislation currently making its way through the House of Representatives, during an hour-long telephone-based town hall meeting he hosted Tuesday evening. More than 5,200 people called into the teleconference to hear Childers’ views on the legislation and question him regarding the ongoing health care debate.
“I want to be a part of meaningful and true health care reform, reform that was not crafted in a fast manner, but reform that is crafted in a manner that is truly beneficial to Mississippians. It’s a complicated issue and it’s one that’s far too important to do it in a hurry. It is far more important to me that we get health care reform right than get it fast,” said Childers.
The congressman said there is no question America’s health care system needs change, but there is significant disagreement about what shape those changes should take.
He said his priorities for any health care reform legislation include reducing the cost of care, increasing competition in the marketplace, allowing people to keep their current plans and physicians if they are happy with what they already have, and making sure all changes are made in a fiscally responsible manner.
Childers said he is closely watching several alternate reform proposals making the rounds in both chambers of congress and believes it will be possible to create a reform bill that can receive bipartisan support and still improve the current system.
“We need a bill that not only would pass, we need a bill that will work, and that’s what’s even more important,” he said. In response to a question about the need to reduce costs from New Albany resident Nollis Byrd, Childers said the Congressional Budget Office has identified over 100 ways to save money or cut health care costs.
“These are real issues and real opportunities to cut costs. I just feel like not enough people are looking at cutting costs and that has to be central and first to providing true health care reform,” he said.
Childers also said removing the ability of insurance companies to deny coverage to individuals based on pre-existing health conditions must be a key piece of any reform proposal.
One caller expressed support for a bill providing a government option for health care coverage and sought Childers’ opinion on such a proposal. The congressman said he believes this type of option is unnecessary and he thinks the insurance companies should be given the opportunity to make the necessary changes and do the right thing before the government steps in with its own plan.
“I am a free enterprise guy. I’d like to see this given a chance,” he said. Childers said he is concerned about any reform legislation that would create a hardship for small business owners by requiring them to purchase high-cost coverage for their employees. He is fearful such a requirement could bankrupt some small businesses.
“We have to do this in moderation and we have to be careful that we do not close small businesses. In a tough economy like we’re in today, small businesses are what’s creating the jobs and we cannot stifle them,” he said. The congressman also addressed concerns over end of life care provisions contained in House Bill 3200. While he made clear he does not support the overall bill, he said discussion of so-called “death panels” which would allegedly be created by the bill is the result of a misunderstanding of language in the bill providing payment for doctors to discuss end of life options with patients. Such a consultation would be voluntary on the part of the patient, but he said this type of discussion can be key to ensuring a patient receives the type of care and treatment they want.
Childers, who has operated The Landmark nursing home and assisted living facility in Booneville since 1996, said he strongly supports this type of provision because current law does not provide for payment from Medicare for this type of consultation.
“Nearing an end of life situation, that is just reality. The decisions made affecting a person’s end of life care, those are deeply personal decisions and they require and should require very thoughtful consideration,” he said. The congressman also flatly rejected the idea of supporting any health care legislation which would pay for abortions.
“I’ve been very clear about this position and I haven’t moved on this. I will not support any legislation that includes any kind of funding for abortion, period,” he said.
