Hopefully, liberals will soon understand that reform does not have to include job-killing mandates, costly new bureaucracies that harm businesses and entitlements that threaten our kids with even more government debt. When they do, real and positive reforms should find support in both parties.
Back here in Maine, Senator Susan Collins believes that, despite the partisan gridlock that has grown up around reform, consensus can emerge. She lists seven proposals that should, could and have in the past attracted bipartisan support. If a core of bipartisan measures can be forged, Collins believes it would make a positive and lasting difference in our health care system.
She’s right.
Senator Olympia Snowe has dedicated hundreds of hours and several years to converging a bipartisan consensus that would give more Maine businesses and families access to national plans that would be available across state lines (alternatively called Small Business Health Plans, national plans or some clever acronym like SHOP - thought up by poor, overworked Hill staffers). Snowe recognizes that states need not be Balkanized when it comes to health insurance plans. If selling across state lines works for Medicare Part D drug plans, why not private insurance for the rest of us?
This was a bipartisan idea that has been under consideration for four years and should have been passed in 2006. Unfortunately, some insurers and self-serving provider groups killed it because they worried it would diminish their privileged status in some state houses. That self-serving position hurts patients, particularly here in Maine.
Last month, the Maine Bureau of Insurance released a report on the status of the health insurance market in Maine. Not good.
Maine is the microcosm of ObamaCare – with restrictive insurance regulations, few choices, expansive Medicaid, a stagnant economy and high taxes. In fact, a helpful chart at the end of the report shows how similar ObamaCare is to the Maine market (given the author is Maine’s liberal Insurance Superintendent, it is presented as a good thing). What was the outcome in Maine? For small businesses, a 349% increase in premiums since 2000.
Since 1999 - a whole decade - Maine has added only 56 more jobs (you read that right), 44,000 more residents within the state and over 120,000 more on Medicaid. That’s ObamaCare in action. I wonder if those 56 new workers will struggle with the added costs (read taxes) of that 120,000 more on Medicaid?
Maine’s Senators have publicly stated that Congress and the president should start over. For good reason: They live in Maine and have seen ObamaCare in action.
Back in 1987, Ronald Reagan gave a speech in Berlin where he implored Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” With all deference to a great speech – perhaps a slight rewrite of the speech would be in order to reflect the mood of the American people on the latest Washington shenanigans:
There is one sign the president can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of health care reform. President Obama, if you seek reform, if you seek health care for Americans, if you seek lower costs, better access and higher quality health care -- come here to this place!
But first, Mr. Obama, tear up your plan!