Health Care Reform Must Address Concerns of Businesses, Individuals, Opinion Piece States

The "economic anxiety" U.S. residents currently feel is a "direct result of increasing health care costs," and lawmakers "should not wait another year to start tackling this problem," Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) write in a Washington Times opinion piece. As the "cost of health care is soaring" and the "number of uninsured Americans continues to grow," businesses, "especially small businesses," and families "are feeling the pinch," the senators write. In addition, they write, as "health care costs continue to rise, the competitiveness of American companies will continue to fall."

Burr and Alexander outline four "major principles that should form the basis for reform": access and choice, affordable coverage, quality of care and prevention, and personal ownership and security. The senators write that lawmakers "could realistically pass bipartisan legislation" this year that would promote "new technologies and innovations to lower the cost of health care and make insurance more affordable." However, the senators write, "many of the Democrats' proposals on health care reform endorse more of what is not working -- mainly more government control."

The senators conclude, "Real health care reform must address the challenges facing the businesses that employ Americans as well as the costs facing individuals and families" (Burr/Alexander, Washington Times, 5/2).