Guthrie: Government should address health care needs, not destroy insurance industry

Second District Congressman Brett Guthrie addresses the Bardstown Rotary Club's noon meeting Wednesday at Xavier's Restaurant.

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2009, 2 p.m. -- U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie addressed the members of the Bardstown Rotary Club at noon today, expressing his desire for improving health care access for uninsured Americans that won't destroy the existing health care industry in the process. Noting there are approximately 47 million uninsured Americans, Guthrie said Congress "should address (health care for) the 47 million, not change it for the other 200 million Americans covered by insurance."

Maintaining the status quo in health care coverage is not acceptable, he said. Rather than remake health care to include a government option, Guthrie said government's role should be to encourage solutions to helping solve health care problems. The list of problems include Americans who are denied insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and the many working Americans whose employers don't offer health insurance and find themselves unable to afford the full cost of health insurance for themselves and their families.

Guthrie said he would support allowing insurance companies to operate across state lines, an option that do not have at present. He said individuals should have the same tax breaks for buying health insurance as to those provided corporations.

If Congress approves a health care legislation that includes a taxpayer-funded health insurance option, insurance companies would find themselves unable to compete. "A government insurance option would likely force private insurance companies out of business," he said.

Paying the price for the current health care reform legislation in Congress is a matter of concern as well. The current bill would take half a trillion dollars from the Medicare Advantage program, which would impact participants who are currently part of the program.

CAP AND TRADE. Guthrie said he could not support the cap and trade legislation due to the impact it would have on energy costs in Kentucky.

"Cap and trade will make coal and oil artificially scarce by raising prices," he said. New energy sources haven't the capacity to replace existing fossil fuel sources. Cap and trade raises prices "to encourage development and use of these energy sources we have created yet." Guthrie said the government should offer incentives for developing these new energy technologies.

STIMULUS LEGISLATION. Guthrie, who won his seat in the November election, told Rotarians that when he went to Washington he believed jobs and the economy would be his main focus in Congress. When the first stimulus bill was proposed, he said he was in favor of it because of its focus on building infrastructure. And although the legislation meant increasing U.S. debt, the result would be projects that would have a long and useful life.

"The Blue Grass Parkway was built with borrowed money, but after 30 years we still have it," he said.

The final stimulus bill veered from its original intent. "This year we borrowed money from your grandchildren."

With the final wrangling on cap-and-trade legislation and health care reform still ahead, Guthrie said Congress faced making decisions that will have a substantial impact on America. "I'm here to tell you that I'm ready to make those decisions based on the values of Kentucky's Second District," he said.