Friday, August 21, 2009
Boucher touts idea of health care co-ops
Rick Boucher's second town hall meeting of the week drew a crowd of about 1,200 in Abingdon.
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From The Roanoke Times
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ABINGDON -- Rob Goldsmith was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma about four months ago.
Initially he was given a 35 percent chance of survival. Then, he heard about a different treatment plan that would double his chances.
The insurance company didn't want to cover it. But he fought. And he won.
He is still undergoing treatment, but on Thursday dressed in a suit and tie, Goldsmith attended a health care town hall meeting held by U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, to share his experience. Goldsmith, of Abingdon, was the first in the audience of about 1,200 people called on by Boucher to speak. He had two points to make.
First, as president and CEO of People Inc. of Southwest Virginia, a nonprofit group that works with low-income people, Goldsmith called for a plan that would prevent people from incurring medical debt.
Next he addressed his personal situation.
"I would much rather have a government bureaucrat standing between me and my doctor making these decisions than have an insurance company," he said, after telling his story.
Many in the crowd yelled out, booing him, saying he was planted in the audience by liberal-leaning advocacy groups.
Goldsmith said the jeers didn't bother him and he was happy to share his insight.
Boucher said Goldsmith's story illustrated a common problem in health care delivery today. "I think we need to put the doctor and patients back in control," Boucher said.
But then Boucher veered away from Goldsmith's request for a government-run plan to tout an alternative plan of creating nonprofit cooperatives.
Thursday's town hall meeting at Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center was Boucher's second of the week. Tuesday he was in Dublin, where another large crowd gathered to voice opposition or support for the Obama administration's push to overhaul the nation's health care system.
"This is all part of a long-term process in which we seek to explain the various changes that are needed," Boucher said after the meeting.
He emphasized the need to find public consensus before voting on any measure. He also continued to push for a bipartisan solution in Congress.
"This process needs to continue," Boucher said of engaging the public in the debate.
For some, however, the debate isn't about how to implement reform. Several in the audience argued that the Constitution doesn't give Congress the authority to meddle in health care.
"I fear there is going to be something in a bill of this size that is going to force me to do something that I do not want to do," said Dr. Charles Wassum, a retired physician, as he held a copy of the 1,100-page House of Representatives bill.
Then, Wassum, of Marion, held up pocket-size copy of the Constitution.
"There is nothing in the Constitution of the United States that gives the federal government the power to make laws concerning health."
About half the crowd jumped to their feet in applause.
Boucher replied by pointing out that the government is already involved in health care by administrating the Medicare and Medicaid programs and health benefits for veterans.
Wassum was later approached by Ruth Musser of Bristol, Tenn., who wanted to know if he took Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements when he was practicing.
Wassum said in private practice that he did not, instead offering charity care. When he was employed at a hospital emergency room, however, he did treat all patients regardless of their insurance.
The two exchanged opinions, never reaching common ground. But Wassum gave Musser his e-mail address so they could continue to talk about the subject.
"I really will go home and digest all of what I've heard here," Musser said. "I'm really struggling with these issues. I came here today all about the public option and now I'm thinking I need to learn about the co-op."
Throughout the three-hour town hall, Boucher repeatedly touted co-ops as a better solution to the public option. Boucher said "It simply isn't feasible," for a public plan to pass the Senate and that he believes the debate is shifting toward embracing the co-op alternative.
