Insurance Information

What are usually days of relaxation for members of Congress who are taking their break this month, are nothing but that as energized constituents make known their views on health care reform.
For example, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., says that in his view the congressional votes this fall on health care reform may be more important to many constituents than even votes to make war or approve peace treaties.
Cooper says that health care is different than all other issues, leading to this August protest movement. He says that it is more important than war or peace votes because everyone is involved in this one. He says everybody is going to get sick at some time or another, or injured, and probably sooner than we think. Cooper says that we all want the system to work for us and our doctor and our hospital to protect us.

Tennessee congressman and Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, is touring Tennessee this month. He is working to build support for his run for governor next year. Still the Chattanooga congressman is not able to escape questions about congressional bills and upcoming votes on revamping health care plans and changing existing insurance regulations.
He says that everywhere he goes he is being asked by people if the heath care issue is going to pass and what's going to be the compromise.

This is the main thing people are interested in, he says. Rep. Wamp said public concerns have moved away from major reform and more government insurance toward support for a less sweeping reform package.

Wamp says that he believes that at least 70 percent of the people in the country are concerned that this new proposal might put at risk their current health care, and they're anxious about it.

An ex-Medicaid director is predicting that the public support for and congressional response to the health care debate this month may well determine how or even whether or not changes will be made to America's $1.6 trillion-a-year health care industry.
During a visit this week to Chattanooga Tennessee, Dennis Smith, the senior fellow in health care reform at The Heritage Foundation said that this August recess is critical to what Congress ultimately will decide concerning health care reform.
For this reason, critics are saying that they are eager for more public meetings so that people can express their concerns with regard to proposals being made to add a government health plan option.

The People Speak
It is the complaint of conservatives that the proposed government plans are too expensive and that they threaten private businesses. Proponents of the plan however, claim the public plans would offer consumers a free choice as well as competition.
Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice presidential candidate and former Alaska Gov., repeated her claim this week that the health care overhaul would create committees set up to decide who lives or dies and would ration health care to needy Americans. It is her argument that the Democratic bill in the House would coerce the elderly and ailing into accepting minimal end-of-life care to reduce costs.