Led by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), Republicans on the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee today strongly rejected calls for a government-controlled single payer health care system, one of the most radical proposals on the table as Democrats craft their partisan health overhaul. Just days before Democrats are reportedly preparing to unveil their plan to reshape how Americans receive medical treatment, the subcommittee’s hearing explored a so-called single payer system, a structure that replaces private, patient-controlled care with a government framework.
“Creating a new, one-size-fits-all health care system modeled on Medicare is a recipe for disaster. It would balloon the deficit and add to our mounting debt. It would drive up taxes while driving down medical innovation. It would ration care while empowering bureaucrats," said Kline.
To shed light on the dangers of a government-controlled system, Republicans invited Dr. David Gratzer, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a Canadian born and trained physician, to testify on his experiences in the Canadian single payer health system.
“To understand the single-payer system, it is important to realize that in the Canadian model ‘single-payer’ is really a polite euphemism for a government-funded, government-managed system," said Dr. Gratzer.
“Critics of the American system note that it fails to provide universal coverage to its citizens," Dr. Gratzer continued. “But Canada’s single-payer system also denies care; instead of denying insurance coverage, Canada’s public insurance plans simply limit the supply of costly medications and capital-intensive procedures."
Dr. Gratzer described the plight of Canadian citizens who have been denied basic care under the single payer system, citing a recent case in which a couple arrived at a hospital in active labor and about to give birth to their child. They buzzed the nurse and no one came; instead, they were forced to deliver their own baby, with no medical assistance.
“I guess that’s consumer-driven health care, Canadian-style," Dr. Gratzer quipped.
Even as Democrats are crafting their plan behind closed doors, Republicans have come together to form a Health Care Reform Solutions Group, which is crafting a plan that will make health care more accessible and affordable without raising taxes or undermining the health care Americans currently receive. Republicans are working on solutions to:
* Make quality health care coverage affordable and accessible for every American, regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
* Protect Americans from being forced into a new government-run plan that would eliminate the health coverage that more than 100 million Americans currently receive through their job.
* Let Americans who like their health care coverage keep it, and give all Americans the freedom to choose the health plan that best meets their needs.
* Ensure that medical decisions are made by patients and their doctors, not government bureaucrats.
* Improve Americans’ lives through effective prevention, wellness, and disease management programs, while developing new treatments and cures for life-threatening diseases.
“Our health care system is in serious need of reform. Republicans and Democrats alike recognize the shortcomings of the current system and the need for meaningful change. There is a bipartisan commitment to change, and that’s why we should have a bipartisan reform process," said Kline. “Health care reform is far too important to get wrong. It’s more important that we do it right than simply do it fast."
