Legislators on right track with health care bill
Suburban Life Editorial
As divergent as their views are, I find myself in basic agreement with four federal lawmakers from the western suburbs regarding the public release of a new health care reform bill.
U.S. Reps. Judy Biggert, R-13th District, of Hinsdale; Bill Foster, D-14th District, of Geneva; Dan Lipinski, D-3rd District, of Western Springs; and Peter Roskam, R-6th District, of Wheaton all issued statements last week following the release of House Resolution 3962. This bill, endorsed last week by Democrats, will wind its way through the U.S. House of Representatives.
Seeing how polarizing the debate on health care reform has been this past year among Americans, it's odd to find common ground with four House members whose political ideologies run the gamut. It's not that all statements say the same thing, but somehow each contains sentiments with which I agree.
Being members of the minority party in the House, Biggert and Roskam are characteristically not thrilled with the plan. They expressed concern that Republican ideas for reforming health care were rejected by the Democrats. When it comes to issues such as tort reform, health insurance portability and competition across state lines, I agree with the Republicans that these are key to making any reform plan work.
Foster was perhaps the most noncommittal in his response to the House plan. He said while the plan addresses his concern for covering people with pre-existing conditions and keeping costs in check, "the details matter." He pledged to analyze the bill's particulars before taking a stand.
Lipinski likewise said he study the bill before deciding whether he'd support it. He said he will "not serve as a rubber stamp simply because this bill goes by the name of health care reform."
I hope Republicans can put some of their ideas in the bill, and Democrats should be open to this. If we can get our four local legislators thinking along the same lines, there's hope for this process.
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