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Times Herald: Gerlach Talks Health Care Legislation
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Gerlach Talks Health Care Legislation
By CARL ROTENBERG
Times Herald Staff
Times Herald Staff
NORRISTOWN - U.S. Congressman Jim Gerlach, R-6th Dist., called last years health care reform bill "the wrong prescription for what is needed to make health care more affordable and accessible, during a Times Herald TV/Online interview on Tuesday afternoon.
Gerlach was a co-sponsor of a discharge petition that needs the signatures of 218 House members, a majority of the House, to repeal the health care bill and replace it with legislation that allows "more insurance accessibility and portability.
"I think the majority of constituents in my district agree that the current legislation is not the right prescription to address these issues. We need to allow for more affordable insurance and more accessibility to insurance without raising taxes by $500 billion over 10 years, he said.
Gerlach was a co-sponsor of a discharge petition that needs the signatures of 218 House members, a majority of the House, to repeal the health care bill and replace it with legislation that allows "more insurance accessibility and portability.
"I think the majority of constituents in my district agree that the current legislation is not the right prescription to address these issues. We need to allow for more affordable insurance and more accessibility to insurance without raising taxes by $500 billion over 10 years, he said.
Gerlach said the current health care bill would "take away over $200 billion of Medicare Advantage services to our seniors. Thirty-eight thousand of them are in my district.
"Hopefully, we'll get those 218 signatures to repeal and replace that health care bill, he continued.
Gerlach said the replacement legislation "would be more market- and consumer-based. It would allow more flexibility to employers to group together and purchase health insurance.
He said the current system forces employers to purchase insurance in the same geographic area where they are located.
Group purchases will lead to lower pricing, he said. A provision to allow employer insurance purchases across state lines would sharpen competition and lower prices, according to Gerlach.
Tort reform was another issue that Gerlach wants to tackle to reduce the volume of defensive medicine and the associated fees.
"There are estimates from $100 to $700 billion of unnecessary costs for unnecessary care, added prescriptions, added MRIs, CAT scans and X-rays to protect against medical malpractice lawsuits, he said. "That's a cost that drives medical costs up.
Gerlach said the House bill's cost estimate was $500 billion over 10 years compared to his calculation that the current health care bill would cost more than $2 trillion over 10 years.
He faulted a provision of the health care bill that requires individuals to purchase health care insurance if they don't have it.
"This is a very interesting constitutional question presented to the federal courts whether Congress can compel you to buy a product you do not want to buy. The implications of that are really significant, he said. "I think it gets to (the) Supreme Court, frankly.
Carl Rotenberg can be reached at crotenberg@timesherald.comor 610-272-2500, ext. 350.
"Hopefully, we'll get those 218 signatures to repeal and replace that health care bill, he continued.
Gerlach said the replacement legislation "would be more market- and consumer-based. It would allow more flexibility to employers to group together and purchase health insurance.
He said the current system forces employers to purchase insurance in the same geographic area where they are located.
Group purchases will lead to lower pricing, he said. A provision to allow employer insurance purchases across state lines would sharpen competition and lower prices, according to Gerlach.
Tort reform was another issue that Gerlach wants to tackle to reduce the volume of defensive medicine and the associated fees.
"There are estimates from $100 to $700 billion of unnecessary costs for unnecessary care, added prescriptions, added MRIs, CAT scans and X-rays to protect against medical malpractice lawsuits, he said. "That's a cost that drives medical costs up.
Gerlach said the House bill's cost estimate was $500 billion over 10 years compared to his calculation that the current health care bill would cost more than $2 trillion over 10 years.
He faulted a provision of the health care bill that requires individuals to purchase health care insurance if they don't have it.
"This is a very interesting constitutional question presented to the federal courts whether Congress can compel you to buy a product you do not want to buy. The implications of that are really significant, he said. "I think it gets to (the) Supreme Court, frankly.
Carl Rotenberg can be reached at crotenberg@timesherald.comor 610-272-2500, ext. 350.
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