Chambliss speaks on health care
9/2/2009
By ERIKA CAPEK
The Brunswick News
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., made it clear to the St. Simons Island Rotary Club Tuesday that he's in line with other Republicans.
He's against greater federalization of health care.
"Even though I'm not on the same side as the (Obama) administration, I have an appreciation for the president to bring this issue to the forefront," Chambliss said in a speech to the club at Sea Palms Resort, on St. Simons Island. "This country has the best health care in the world and the best health insurance in the world, but we can still improve it and make it better."
But something must be done, Chambliss agreed. Government programs will run out of funding in 2017 and will be paying more in benefits than what's being made in revenue.
"We're going broke," Chambliss said. "We have an obligation to make sure from an economic standpoint to reach out to those who are uninsured and provide affordable and meaningful health insurance."
Chambliss mapped out the numbers of uninsured people living in the United States, saying of the 47 million to 50 million who are uninsured, six million are illegal aliens, people for whom he has no sympathy.
Fourteen million Americans who qualify for some kind of government-provided health insurance have not signed up for it by their choice.
Fifteen million people are employed and considered high income, but choose not to have health insurance.
Then there are, by Chambliss' calculations, the 12 million to 15 million who are uninsured. They are the people that Chambliss says the county needs to reach out to, but it should do so without raising taxes.
"We need to deduct health insurance premiums and make sure to cover pre-existing conditions," said Chambliss, who's been talking about the issue in meetings around the state.
He said he does not support any bill that interferes with the relationship between a patient and a doctor.
"Every individual has the right to choose their own doctor and that's why I'm opposed to universal health care," Chambliss said. "There will come a point where the right to choose your own doctor will be made by the government and not the individual, and that is fundamentally wrong."
He said Americans need to start living healthier lifestyles to keep from falling victim to preventable diseases like diabetes, and practice preventative health care.
"Whatever policy we adopt, we need to make sure we don't screw up what we already have," Chambliss said.
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1 Comment
At least TRY not to insult our intelligence
Geeze, Suxby, at least TRY not to insult our intelligence. "Every individual has the right to choose their own doctor and that's why I'm opposed to universal health care," Chambliss said. Are you kidding me? I don't know about you, Suxby, but my insurance company tells me which docs I can see and which I can't. And the number I can see shrinks every cycle. Suxby, you were stupid 40 years ago in college and I see that you haven't gotten any smarter in the ensuing years.
Earnest Bunbury
9/2/2009