Health care reform:
The time is now to let Congress know where you stand!

Congressional leaders deserve some credit for their willingness to address problems afflicting America's health care system.  The Chamber recognizes that the rising costs of health care are unsustainable and hindering the competitiveness of U.S.businesses in our global economy.

The National Coalition on Health Care reports that employer health insurance premiums last year increased by 5 percent – about two times the rate of inflation. The annual premium for an employer health plan covering a family of four averaged nearly $12,700.  The annual premium for single coverage averaged more than $4,700.

Clearly, we need to address the issue of health care costs if America's private sector is to regain solid footing.  But the prescription offered by congressional leaders would do more damage than good and threaten to undermine the parts of the system that currently work.  

A health care reconciliation battle in Congress is now underway with a showdown expected in the days to come.   Articles like this one from the Hill explain the U.S. House's plans to force a vote through the "deem and pass" procedure. This would allow the U.S. House to pass the Senate version of the health care bill without even voting.

A government takeover of health care would compete with private insurance, potentially impacting coverage for 160 million Americans.  Meanwhile, cost estimates for the plan range from $829 billion to $1.055 trillion. 

With the federal government already carrying an $11.6 trillion debt load, do we really need government running another major sector of the economy?

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes the importance of high quality, comprehensive, affordable health care and health care insurance.  Healthy workers and families create a positive economic environment in which to work, live and play. 

Specifically, the Springfield Chamber supports meaningful health care reform that focuses on initiatives to maintain the quality of health care and reduce health care costs, introduce fair regulation of the insurance market, and build a robust marketplace for consumers.  The Chamber encourages lawmakers to reduce federal mandates and pass malpractice reform legislation that will lower the cost of patient care.  The Chamber opposes shifting the cost of the uninsured to businesses, as wsell as health insurance mandates that undermine the ability of employers to provide competitive health insurance at an affordable cost. 

Missourians deserve a first-rate health care system.  But such a system cannot be sustained if the federal government undermines the foundation of our current health care system and lays unreasonable mandates on the nation’s employers.  Please contact Congress to tell them to oppose their flawed proposals!

 

 

Congressman Roy Blunt provided a legislative update on health care reform during a forum held on August 6 at the Chamber.





Gordon Kinne, President, Med-Pay, Inc.; Steve Edwards, Executive Vice President, CoxHealth; Donn Sorensen, Executive Vice President, St. John's Health System and Trey Davis, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry, spoke at the August 6 Healthcare Forum at the Chamber.





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