COCHRAN OUTLINES HEALTH CARE REFORM PRIORITIES

Cochran Says System Needs Reform, But Not Government-Run Single Payer Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following is a column authored by U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) that outlines his views on the health care reform debate in Congress.  It was published June 1 in The Clarion-Ledger.

The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.)

June 1, 2009

IT'S TIME TO REFORM MEDICAL SYSTEM

By Senator Thad Cochran

The current health care system in the United States needs reform. Health care costs are too high, individuals are worried about how they will afford insurance, and the system focuses on treating patients when they are sick instead of keeping them healthy.

I believe we need reform that promotes wellness and prevention, provides guaranteed coverage for all Americans, discourages frivolous lawsuits, and restructures the payment system.

Wellness counts

Many chronic diseases are preventable or manageable with a healthy lifestyle. Still, chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States and account for the vast majority of health care spending. Unless we begin to change America's unhealthy habits, this problem will worsen and health care costs will rise.

Congress should explore solutions that encourage Americans to be healthy and bend the cost curve in the right direction. Employers provide health insurance to the vast majority of Americans, and many have taken the lead in implementing wellness initiatives to help control costs. Companies such as Safeway Inc. have implemented employee wellness programs. The results are a more productive workforce and lower health care costs for employers.

We must guarantee that every American has access to affordable insurance that meets his or her unique needs. By reducing the number of uninsured, we will help eliminate the cost shift that results when hospitals and doctors pass on the cost of uncompensated care to the privately insured.

Improving quality of care should also be a central goal of any health reform. Currently, health care providers are reimbursed for the number of tests or procedures they perform. We should change the payment system so that providers are compensated for treating illnesses, not performing tests.

No single payer

We should not reform health care in a way that will lead to restricted access to doctors and health care choices. Legislation that creates or could lead to a government-run single payer system will not improve our health care system.

If we expand Medicaid, Medicare, or create a new government-run insurance option, the result will be government involvement in the doctor-patient relationship. Denial of innovative treatments and cures would be commonplace. This is not patient-centered health reform and I won't support it.

This year should not go by without action from Congress on comprehensive health care reform. Americans should be able to afford health insurance, make decisions that are right for their families, and choose their own doctors.

By building on these strengths, we can work together to provide the best health care system in the world.

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