Times Herald: Gerlach Sounds Off on Health Care Bill

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Gerlach sounds off on health care bill

By KEITH PHUCAS
Times Herald Staff

COURTHOUSE — In a speech Monday, President Obama criticized insurance companies and Republican opposition to a proposed health care overhaul, but Congressman James Gerlach, R-6th Dist., is firm in his belief that his constituents don’t want a massive government-run program that would likely be twice as costly as the president’s estimate.

Both the House and Senate passed versions of Obama’s sweeping legislation last year by tight margins. The bill narrowly passed the House in November, 220-215, and the Senate approved a similar version of the legislation in December by 60-39. Now, a compromise bill has to be reconciled by the House and Senate.

The bill’s supporters are hoping the House passes the Senate’s version that could be amended with accompanying measures to address opposition to abortion funding and other issues, but Gerlach believes the ambitious legislation, which has been debated in congress and in public for a year, is on life support given its uncertainty of passing a second time in the House.

"There are 10 or 11 House members with objections (to the Senate bill), and without those votes, they can’t get the 218 votes (needed to pass),” Gerlach said Monday during a conference call with reporters.

If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had the necessary votes, the congressman believes she would have already called for a vote on the House floor.

The Obama administration claims the overhaul would cost nearly $1 trillion over the next decade, but Gerlach is wary of the estimate, suggesting the price could rise to $2 trillion or more.

"The $1 trillion bill would result in a huge tax increase on small businesses that will lead to an explosion of our national debt,” he said. "But it’s probably going to be double that.”

The lawmaker claims Republicans and Democrats can find common ground on issues such as allowing families and small businesses to purchase insurance across state lines and ending the denial of health coverage based on pre-existing conditions; however, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid aren’t interested in adding the provisions to the 2,000 page legislation at this point.

Recently, Gerlach co-sponsored a House bill with Wisconsin Democratic Congressman Ron Kind that would lower health care costs for small businesses and family farmers by allowing them to band together to buy health insurance, provide tax credits to offset business’ contributions to employee premiums and ban health status rating to shield businesses from large rate increases.

The conference call also included a Berks County physician, Dr. Robert Early and Nancy Keefer, president of Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry. Keefer’s group opposes mandating businesses to insure workers, and she agrees with Gerlach about making legal reform part of the health care bill.

"We feel tort reform has to go hand-in-hand with health care reform,” she said.

And Keefer believes the legislation would be accompanied by tax increases on businesses.

"That I guarantee you will be passed onto the consumers,” she said.

About 600 Philadelphia area firms sell medical devices, Gerlach said, and passage of the current bill would tax their gross sales by two percent.

"That would have a devastating impact on them,” he said.


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