By DEB WUETHRICH
Congressman Mark Schauer shared his view of being a member of the U.S. House of Representatives just after voting to pass sweeping health insurance reform legislation this past weekend.
“Today, I was proud to cast a vote in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act because it will offer every single American access to quality, affordable health insurance, strengthen Medicare for seniors by closing the prescription drug donut hole, and lower health care costs for Michigan businesses to help them compete,” Schauer said just after the vote. “Additionally, this legislation and accompanying measures will reduce the federal deficit by $109 billion over the next ten years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.”
Rep. Schauer visited the Tecumseh Herald on Monday afternoon, after taking part in activities in the Detroit area where Vice President Joe Biden was a featured guest, to further discuss the bill and what it contains. He said that he would soon be holding a Town Hall meeting in the area to talk further with constituents. Rep. Schauer spoke of a Forum he’d held in Tecumseh at the Glass Room in July to gather background, information and input prior to the vote he knew he would be making at some point.
“We talked at the forum about how our health care system is broken, and we talked about people and businesses who are no longer able to afford coverage, and people who can’t get coverage because they have illnesses or have been sick in the past,” Rep. Schauer said. “So I listened very carefully here in July, and I’ve been credited by some of my colleagues for really getting some important things into this bill, such as things that would help protect seniors, and help provide grants for employers who want to start wellness programs.”
He said the bill contains changes that will affect people’s lives, and will prevent such unfairness as higher premium payments based on gender, and denial because of pre-existing conditions.
“Here’s what’s important about this bill,” he said. “It would assure that 96 percent of Americans have access to good, quality, comprehensive coverage. In my district, which includes Tecumseh, 36,000 people can’t afford to have coverage. This bill is great news for those families and for all of us that are currently paying more because we pay for the care of people whose only access to care is in the emergency room. It’s just good news, to reduce health care costs and reduce the federal deficit.”
Rep. Schauer said that groups that supported the legislation included the AARP, American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Cancer Society and others.
“At the end of the day, it was actually an easy decision for me to make,” he said. “Because it’s not a government takeover. It’s not socialized medicine. It’s not a Canadian or British system. It really fixes what’s broken within the current system and builds up some other areas. I’m very pleased I was a part of this, and it was important to me that we passed the bill and, hopefully, the Senate can do the same pretty quickly.” Rep. Schauer believes the Senate could pass similar legislation before the end of the year. Once both chambers have passed a bill, a congressional conference committee will merge the two proposals into a consensus version that would require final approval from each chamber and then signature by President Barack Obama. The earliest it could take effect would be 2013.
Rep. Schauer said he is well aware of some of the concerns that people have about the bills, and has even visited with constituents who come to his office, as well as through his own visits to communities. He said he’s spoken to people at places such as Herrick Medical Center and other hospitals that are “drowning in charity care, uncompensated care, and free care that really isn’t free,” he said. “I remind people that we are already paying and what we have to question is the results we’re getting.” Rep. Schauer said he likes the bill’s emphasis on accessibility to health care, especially at preventative stages.
“And here’s a guarantee,” he said. “People would never have to worry about being dropped by their insurance carrier because they get too sick. What happens now is insurance companies can decide who costs too much and then drop them.” He said people would have security and peace of mind knowing they could afford good coverage that wouldn’t go away if they get sick. “That’s a good deal for the American people, and it’s good for business, especially small business.” He also said that local agents that people work with would still be able to continue their work, helping people decide what’s best for them.
Rep. Schauer said he did, indeed, read all 1,990 pages of the bill prior to the vote, and continues to review and study it as he talks with constituents about what’s in it and attempts to address their concerns.
“It would have been irresponsible of me to vote on a bill of this magnitude and not have read it,” he said. Rep. Schauer also said doing something about health care costs is especially important in states such as Michigan, where he’s learned that a high number of bankruptcies stem from unpaid medical bills. On the House floor, he even talked about Michigan’s economic struggles and need for relief in such areas as health care costs.
“I see far too many canisters on counters for people who have had accidents or become sick and don’t have health insurance,” he said. “We can do better than that. We will be a healthier country and we will spend less money overall on health care. We’re not finished yet, but this is a start.”