A recent hotly debated national health care program could lead to an overabundance of government involvement in the medical industry, a longtime U.S. Senator told the Columbus Rotary Club Tuesday.
If passed, the health care bill may lead to “too much” federal involvement in the nation”s private medical industry, according to Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss.
“If we create a government-run system, we may have too much government involvement in hospital administration and the medical industry,” Cochran said. “We need more, not fewer, health care options. I think we need to put the system under very close scrutiny.”
Debates over the proposed government-funded health care system recently have been sparking heated debates in the U.S. House of Representatives and at town hall-style meetings across the nation.
Because the debate next will move to the U.S. Senate, Cochran said the government agency will work to ensure the medical plan is in the “best interest” of the nation”s citizens.
“I can assure you that if the plan is not in the national interest, Congress will not let it be implemented,” Cochran explained. “It”s the Senate”s turn to review it next, so we will look at it with great scrutiny.
“We are not a one-party ruled country. Nobody is endowed with the powers of a king in this country,” Cochran added. “If this health care bill does not pass the test of democracy, it will not go into effect.”
After the Senate reviews the health care overhaul plan, Cochran suggested the governing body emerge with a “common sense” approach to modifying the country”s medical coverage.
“We need to take a common sense approach that will fit the country”s economic hardships,” Cochran said. “People are worried about the ever-increasing costs of health care, and they are worried they won”t have the benefit of insurance protection with a new system.”
Although many state and national citizens have been criticizing the health care debates and the federal government, Cochran urged those at Tuesday”s meeting to have patience as national officials deal with “tough challenges.”
“It”s a time of suspicion and concern for many people right now, and Washington and Congress are easy targets,” Cochran said. “All of this is coming during a party transition period in Washington.
“Our president is a young man, and he is still new and is having difficulty articulating his plan for recovery,” the senator added. “All of those things coming together are contributing to feelings of uncertainty for many people.”
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