Caution Ahead: Healthcare Reform
by Sen. Gilbert Baker
State Sen. Gilbert Baker from Conway sends along his thoughts about the federal health care proposal. Baker is one of the plethora of candidates rumored to be considering running for U.S. Senate. Is he? Well, depends on who you ask. But he is sending out press releases on the federal healthcare proposal.
For the last several weeks I have watched the debate surrounding comprehensive healthcare reform. It is amazing the number of calls I have received and conversations I have had regarding this critical issue. As an on-looker, I have found myself cheering for Congressman Mike Ross as he has attempted to slow down this government train and control costs. He and I may not always agree, but his conservative approach should be commended.
I’ve stood aside and listened to Senator Lincoln state many times, “we must do something.” I agree; but we must be careful not to do the wrong thing and jeopardize the necessary medical care for patients. There is now a need for all Arkansans to speak out and make sure these reforms do not weaken our current healthcare system.
Arkansans are tired of government bailouts and government intervention. We are told it is America’s obligation to fix this “broken” system. This is true, but there is a great disconnect between the talks taking place in Washington D.C. and what my constituents are saying to me on the streets of Conway, Arkansas.
We can all agree that there are improvements that need to be made to our healthcare system in access, affordability, and delivery of care. However, the approach to solving this problem may be where we disagree.
It will be a mistake to allow a government takeover of our healthcare system that currently satisfies more than 200 million Americans. More specifically, a recent bi-partisan survey of Arkansans shows that 86% of people are satisfied with the quality of healthcare their family receives.
By allowing the federal government to be the central provider in this system, we can only expect to see quality decline. I cannot imagine the same federal government that responded to Hurricane Katrina controlling healthcare for all Americans.
The bottom line is that Arkansans do not want additional government bureaucracy to make it more expensive and harder to receive medical care. We are opposed to a federal government provider healthcare system, and I have serious concerns about Senator Lincoln’s “cooperative” system. I believe this is nothing more than a backdoor approach for government-run healthcare, paid for by more borrowed federal dollars.
The solutions to healthcare reform must be driven by competition, transparency, and empowering consumers without raising taxes. Healthcare consumers must know what they are getting in terms of value and cost. Overall, consumers and competition should drive our healthcare system.
Healthcare reform is critical, but my fear is taking a “just do something” approach will lead to government-run healthcare resulting in decreased quality and access to those who need it most.
Tags: 2010 Candidates
July 30th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
What plan do you have Senator? Reveal your plan! You don’t speak accurately for Arkansans. The national mandate was given!
People are tired of losin’ sleep over medical bills and actually foregoing medical care for their families because money grubbin’ capitalists have put a price on everything. What church do you attend? It’s unbelieve that people who claim to pattern their lives after Jesus would continue to put money above healthcare.
And why the buzz word “Katrina”? Why didn’t you say the government that invaded Iraq? Because Katrina immediately connotes gov’t. failure and puts color (race) on the debate. You are an evil man from what I have gathered.
If France can do it so can we. Stop lyin’ to the people and let’s begin lookin’ into who (lobbysists)is padding your coffers. The White middle class want and need healthcare as much as anyone. People are suffering and you’re playing games.
Stop the nonsense and let’s help the American people!
July 30th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Tell us state senator, just who actually paid for that study that concluded 86% of Americans are satisfied with their health care coverage. Sorry, but I think that is conclusion is just plain hogwash.
Senator, you forgot the 40 million Americans who can’t afford coverage and the many more underinsured. I guess you figure they don’t vote, so why bother.
Other studies say the reason most U.S. citizens go to bankruptcy court for relief is because they cannot pay their medical bills. And who made it tougher to take bankruptcy today — the Republicans in concert with the credit card companies.
There are a whole group of people in whom you should never place your full faith and credit and one of the biggest standouts in that list are insurance companies, specifically ones providing health insurance.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Lee – The poll Baker refered to was from Roby Brock of Talk Business – http://www.talkbusiness.net/Weblogs/WeblogItemDetail.aspx?WebLogItemID=b2d91228-759f-42f1-9158-1c912f57c2db&WeblogID=cc24fc6b-d9a7-4647-b991-53b1cec2eec4
July 31st, 2009 at 12:15 am
Lee – One more correction…the poll is of Arkansans only.
86% is a pretty high number for any kind of poll.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:07 am
Tnx for the info. I missed that link in reading the article. Most polls, like that one, don’t sample large numbers so I do not put a lot of weight into polls. That pole was based on reponses from 600 people.
U.S. Bureau of the Census stats from 2000, the latest available, show more than 400,000 people in Arkansas were below the poverty level and that figure is probably higher since the economic downturn. Polling those people would probably have produced a much different result.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Jesus NEVER advocated forcibly taking an individual’s property and giving it to someone else. Jesus taught us about charity. Redistribution of wealth is NOT charity.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:29 pm
What planet are you people from??? Senator Baker is only trying to find the RIGHT thing to do not cram some God forsaken govt bailout down our throats just to fail like all the other ones… I happen to work in the healthcare field, I see the disasters that people encounter. The problem with what yall are suggesting is that healthcare as a whole is going to regress…cheaper employees and insurance companies delegating what can and can not be done is only going to screw more of society up and then we are going to be so strapped cause of the “fix” that we won’t be able to do anything about it….Gotta a suggestion for that???? bet not…maybe we should sit on the this for a moment longer and try to figure out the best way to do it!!!
July 31st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
As a nurse with experience in both Government sponsored health care and private funded care, I can tell you that there is an incredible difference in quality of care between the two. Obamacare will be a Great Disaster for the average patient. I do not work with a single doctor or nurse (including democrats) who support the single payer concept. We have already seen the future and it is called the VA.
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:37 am
I promise that anyone voting for this debacle will find me voting for anyone who runs against them. They are bringing down the entire health care system to fix things for those without health care. Check the stats that are all over the internet: some elect to not sign up for Medicaid, although eligible; some elect to purchase no insurance, although they can afford it; some have medical savings accounts . . . and, some are not legal citizens. It doesn’t take much to fix health for those who really need it – this is a power grab. What in the Constitution gives Washington the right to impose this on us? Mad? You bet.
One other thing, when we start mistreating the elderly and requiring end of life counseling every few years, we have gone far beyond decency. This is criminal. Has anyone heard of a free country requiring their seniors march in every so often so they can encourage them to die? I cannot imagine taking my mother for such a session. What in the world has happened to us? This is the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard and I have no doubt it will be extended to cover mentally challenged, disabled and other non productive citizens – just give them enough time. Remember, the day will come for each of us to be hog-marched for our counseling! Cheerful thought -
These jerks are worse than criminal if they pass this. All Americans must demand they abide by any program they force on us. They know they are ruining the entire health care system and they don’t care – they’ve got theirs! Disgusting . . .
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:56 am
One other thing – the medicare cuts they are imposing on the elderly: these people have paid the greatest amount into the system, only now to be betrayed. I’m sorry our government spent the money on other things but I don’t think they have the right to deny the health care they promised all those years.
If seniors don’t agree to die when the government deems it’s their time, we now discover the government will do it for them by refusing care. Can anyone think of another name for that plan? I can – I just hate to use it here.