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Health Care Summit Just More Political Posturing

March 1, 2010
Weekly Columns

Last week, we were treated to another episode of political theater, courtesy of the Obama administration. The vaunted White House health care summit featured the same themes we've come to expect from previous performances: a partisan political ploy presented as bipartisan dialogue, and big government, big spending policies masquerading as reform.

The summit was advertised as an opportunity for both parties to present their health care ideas and then work together to achieve a compromise. However, the White House made it clear before the meeting even started that they had no intention of giving fair consideration to conservative proposals, despite overwhelming public opposition to government-controlled health care. Although a CNN poll found that 73 percent of Americans believe that Congress should either start working on an entirely new bill or stop pursuing health legislation altogether, President Obama rejected offers from Republican leaders to work together on new, step-by-step legislation.

Hours before the summit convened, the administration outlined its latest proposals, which are nothing more than a collection of the same policies the American people have already rejected -- policies that would increase costs and limit health choices. Americans are right to be skeptical of the president's assertions that they can keep their existing coverage if his policies become law. These claims gloss over the fact that the president's plan would require Americans with health insurance to accept costly new benefits standards in order to keep their current coverage.

Thanks to all the new benefits Americans would be forced to pay for, insurance premiums could increase by up to 15 percent. According to a Congressional Budget Office analysis, that translates to an average increase of $2,100 per family and an increase of $222 billion in overall health expenditures.

Anywhere you look in the president's health care agenda, you find provisions that raise costs, increase government control, or both. Conservative plans, on the other hand, would lower costs by giving individuals more choices. Commonsense measures that allow families to purchase insurance plans across state lines, for instance, could lead to substantially lower premiums that would enable many more people to afford insurance. Proposals to eliminate frivolous lawsuits could prevent much of the $650 billion in health care costs generated each year when doctors order extra tests and treatments to guard against getting sued.

Unfortunately, President Obama and congressional Democrats don't seem interested in giving real consideration to alternative proposals. Based on their statements at the summit, they remain as determined as ever to push through a $950 billion government takeover of health care. The Obama administration may claim to seek bipartisan cooperation, but the American people know one televised summit does not equal bipartisanship, just as more government control does not mean better health care.

Oklahomans can be particularly proud of Tom Coburn's work at the summit. Dr. Coburn did an extraordinary job of explaining vital issues and raising important questions. He was so effective that even President Obama professed potential agreement with "95 percent" of Coburn's ideas. If Democrats show real willingness to embrace commonsense solutions like those Sen. Coburn put forward, bipartisan progress would be attainable -- and the American people would be much better off.


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