Report from the GOP Whip Team bloggers' conference call about health care

A new month, and another GOP Whip Team blogger conference call.

This afternoon's topic was health care reform, and each of the three Republican members of Congress cautioned against the Democrats' "hurry up offense" that served their party well, but not taxpayers, in getting the economic stimulus and cap-and-trade bills moved along.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the Republican Chief Deputy Whip, began the call and said that the first maneuver in the House on health care could begin next week.

McCarthy then handed the phone over the Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), who discussed the death of her husband, Harvey Waite, of pancreatic cancer. "The wonderful health care system that we have here in the United States" extended his life. Brown-Waite then made a reference to an article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal that notes Great Britain, which has government-run health care, uses a mathematical formula to cap the amount to be spent on a patient suffering from a life-threatening illness. That amount is $22,000.

"Let me assure you," Brown-Waite stated, "that I believe my husband's life was worth more than $22,000."

Caps like that one is a result when government rations health care. Our current system, which most people are happy with, doesn't ration.

Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), a heart surgeon, then took his turn. The doctor says that Americans want health care reform, but not a "mad rush" to get something through.

The Louisianan noted a number of problems with the Dems' proposal, including the anemic Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements that don't cover providers' costs, and likend the Democrats' health care plan to an unfunded liability. More taxpayer dollars would eventually be needed to fund the whole thing, Boustany reasons.

McCarthy jumped in, and mentioned an unfortunately little-known study by The Lewin Group, which says two out of three Americans would be forced out of their current coverage and placed in the government-run plan. That report came out on the day Michael Jackson died, so its release was buried by the Jacko news.

McCarthy noted the better survival rates--and that's what health care is supposed to be about, right?--in the United States compared to health care rationer Great Britain. The Californian noted that women with breast cancer have an 83.9 percent breast cancer survival rate, in Britain it's 69.7 percent. As for prostate cancer, American men have a 91 percent survival rate, in the UK it's just 51 percent.

There is no need for a hurry-up offense.

I was able to get in a question, mine was about the proposal by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), who has suggested that the health care benefits of unions be exempt from taxation. As I mentioned several times here, the Democrats are considering taxing these benefits--currently they're not taxed--which is something John McCain proposed last fall--and Barack Obama vehemently denounced him for suggesting it.

McCain of course did not propose that union members get a pass from the tax.

Dr. Boustany replied "The bottom line is that most of the unions are happy with the coverage they have, and they know what the Democrats are proposing will disrupt that tremendously."

Exempting union members from such a tax, "Is just plain wrong."

Here's the takeaway from the call. Although health care reform is needed, most Americans are happy with their current health care plan. A hurry-up offense should not be utilized to force government-run health care on us.

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