Rep. Mike Ross Opposes Strong Public Option

"We cannot create a public option that puts all the other private insurance companies out of business," according to Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross. Ross chairs the group known as the Blue Dog Democrats.

Representative Ross states on his website, "More than one working-age Arkansan dies each day due to the lack of health insurance. It is a fact that uninsured Arkansans are sicker and die sooner than their insured counterparts."

Ross also mentions that 23% of Arkansans aged 25 to 64 do not have health insurance but, still, he wants to preserve the current health care system that is failiing his own constituents. "Health care reform needs to focus on controlling costs, increasing value, and improving access."

Ross’ Blue Dog Democrats sent a letter on Thursday, July 9, to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressing their concerns about moving forward on health care reform legislation. This move effectively killed the scheduled unveiling of the final draft of health care legislation that would be introduced in the House of Representatives.

Congress is Confused about Health Care Reform

There is no doubt that a single payer health care system would benefit American the most. And, there is no doubt that Congress will not pass single payer health care legislation. Congressman Ross should take a lesson from a recent hailstorm that hit his home state of Arkansas that sent thousands of citizens to auto repair shops. Adjusters looked at the damage and made decisions quickly to either repair or replace various parts.

Many of those autos had a roof or trunk lid or hood or fenders that were too damaged to repair. Replacement was in the best interest of the car owners. Likewise, America’s health care system is broken because of profit-led decisions managed by health insurers who add 30% administrative cost to processing a claim. Congressman Ross could look at Arkansas’ Medicaid program where approximately 99% of claims pass through an electronic processing system with no human intervention. Medical providers can file a claim on Friday and receive payment the following week. Pharmacies receive instant notification when filing a prescription claim. Hmmmmmmm. A super-efficient, government run single payer health insurance program exists in the home state of Mike Ross and benefits thousands of his south Arkansas constituents.

The United States is currently facing both a health care crisis and an economic crisis. President Barack Obama has correctly stated that fixing one is essential to fixing the other. Jobs continue to be lost because people are afraid to spend money because they fear their job may already have a pink slip attached to it for future delivery.

So Congress, in their confused wisdom, has a health care reform bill that requires employers to offer health insurance to their employees – whether they can afford it or not. The bill also requires employees to purchase health insurance – whether they can afford it or not. Requiring employers to spend money they don’t have means more people will lose their jobs so the remaining employees can have health insurance. Requiring employees to purchase health insurance with money they don’t have will certainly reduce spending in other areas of the already-troubled economy.

Who is Congress Helping?

Congressman Ross and his fellow Blue Dog Democrats (as well as all Republicans) do not want to hurt for-profit insurance companies. You know – the companies that made $50 million in campaign contributions earlier this year.

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