Rep. Dingell Discusses Prospects for Health Care Reform at Center for American Progress Action Fund Luncheon
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) on Monday at a Center for American Progress Action Fund luncheon said that health care reform "must begin with a demand from the American people," CQ HealthBeat reports.According to Dingell, such "demand" could place legislation to expand health insurance to more U.S. residents at the top of the congressional agenda next year and help overcome barriers caused by partisanship. Dingell said that the Bush administration has done "little" to address the issue and that the next president should place health care reform at the top of his agenda. He also said that the "free-market" proposal of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) would lead to instability, insecurity and unaffordability in the health care system (Wyckoff, CQ HealthBeat, 7/14).
Dingell said that the "big problem" with health care reform is the cost, as Democrats "have come to the conclusion that we're going to try to be fiscally responsible ... and I would think rather especially on matters of health care." He proposed the use of a value added tax, rather than increased payroll taxes, to finance health care reform. "We will run into heavy opposition with regard to payroll taxes, which are now not liked by anybody. They tend to make us uncompetitive and create problems of job creation," Dingell said (CongressDaily, 7/14).
Dingell said that, although he favors a single-payer health system, he would support any system that expands health insurance to more residents (CQ HealthBeat, 7/14). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
