Senator Saxby Chambliss was in Albany, Georgia today at a town hall meeting that was sponsored by the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. Senator Chambliss brought in a series of charts and first talked about the people that are currently uninsured. There are four different categories of the uninsured that are estimated at 47 to 50 million people. Fourteen million people are eligible for a government program, but are not enrolled. Fifteen million people can afford private insurance, but chose not to purchase it. Six million people are illegal aliens. Americans without an affordable insurance option number between 12-15 million people.
The Senator said that he does not want to see an interruption in the doctor/patient relationship. Patients should be able to choose their doctor and their insurance plan. He said that Georgia needs to allow citizens to cross state lines to purchase an insurance plan that is best for them and not be limited to a company with a Georgia specific plan. Many individuals are turned down because of a pre-existing condition. That is wrong and that needs to be changed. “If you have a plan that you like, your right to keep that policy should not be determined in Washington,” Chambliss said.
Half of all Americans could lose employer insurance under the government plan. There are 177 million people that have employer paid insurance and 88 million of them are at risk of losing that insurance under the government plan.
The Senator supports an incentive plan that would reward patients for taking preventative measures where their personal healthcare is concerned. He said that 75% of costs and 2/3rds of the deaths in America come from five preventable diseases; heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and obstructed pulmonary disease
There should be tort reform as part of the plan too. None of the plans proposed by the Democrats contain tort reform measures. Tort reform for unnecessary lawsuits must be addressed. The Senator stressed the word unnecessary.
The Senator emphasized competitive measures that will help bring down the cost of healthcare and insurance. In 2008 the Part D Medicare budget was revised down because of competition. As more companies participate, the costs come down through free market economic policies.
The Senator said that there are about five or six plans that are floating around Capitol Hill. The House plan has a play or pay policy for small business owners. If they do not pay for a plan for their employees, they will be forced to pay a fine.
CBO estimates that the cost of the House bill will increase the deficit in this country by $239 billion after 10 years and that is after an increase in taxes by $800 billion. Part of the money in tax increases will come from the expiration of the tax relief plan that was signed into law in 2001. Then there is an additional 5% surtax for individuals making over a million dollars. Those people can expect to pay 50% of their income before state and local taxes are accessed to help pay for this plan.
The administration is proposing that they will increase the number of people getting Medicade and the federal government will fund this for three years. After that, the burden will fall on the individual states. In Georgia, that will be about $1 billion that the state will need to find to continue this coverage.
Another chart that the Senator brought to the meeting was a cost analysis conducted by the Senate Budget Committee. The chart showed that healthcare costs will rise higher over the next few years if the government plan passes than if the government does nothing at all. The chart projected expenses out to the year 2018.
Senator Saxby Chambliss began the talk by asking everyone to be respectful and civil. He only took questions from the audience that were written and approved first by his staff. During the question and answer session, only two of the written questions were addressed.
It should be noted that there were individuals in the crowd that were prepared to counter protest any uprising from the crowd against the government reform of healthcare. A gentleman left the forum when it became apparent that there would not be a lot of excitement. He was carrying posters that read, “Organize 4 America.” Organize for America is a Barak Obama web site theme. There were also individuals representing at least two different union groups at the meeting. I do not know their intentions because of the way the meeting was handled, but I do know the press that union members have received at town hall meetings across the country in the past week. No trouble was made by these individuals, but I wonder if things would have been different had the crowd been allowed to ask Senator Chambliss what they really wanted to know instead of the conservative free market platitudes that he exposed.
I bring this up because I know that there are people who plan to participate in similar town hall meetings on healthcare reform this month. I know that many of them plan to protest. I believe in the First Amendment and I encourage these individuals to have their voices heard. Just be aware that it probably will not be a cake walk as rhetoric on both sides has begun to heat up dramatically. Counter protestors will most likely attend these events too. Be smart, be civil, and of course use good judgment.
I am including the Senator’s charts with this article.
Someone need to tell Saxby a town hall meeting is for question and answers and not to be used as a captured audience to spew lies all over people. He told his opinion for 45 minutes and took 3 probably set question. It was a waste off my time. He said noone wanted to pay taxes for health care for illegles but where was he at on immigration reform. He totally support foreign worker taking our jobs for less wages and no benefits. I can’t stand him.
Bruce,
Nice to have met you at the forum! I agree that the question and answer part of the meeting was rigged. Saxby is as slick as the rest of them!
I know neither of you are surprised by this!
The man voted FOR TARP….why do we expect him to be a genuine conservative? I hope he enjoys the next 5 years because I believe this will be his last term, and he barely made it back this time.
I can never get the picture of Saxby and Isakson posing with Ted Kennedy out of my mind. Even though Republicans aren’t included in the one-sided Healthcare talks, I would expect our US Senator to be very vociferous in his opposition. I haven’t seen much representation from him. And forget representation in the House. Obama and Pelosi own Sanford.
In the medical matchup of Free-Market vs. Socialism, our Senator disappoints us and our Congressman sells us out.
“He only took questions from the audience that were written and approved first by his staff.”
Thank God I couldn’t make it this morning, my head would have exploded!
Unfortunately, there’s plenty of them doing this. Heaven forbid that a member of Congress actually have to answer a question that might stump them.
I agree 100% that we must remain civil and not give Nancy and her PAL’s any ammunition.
During Sanford Bishop’s Townhall when he lies, would it be OK to give a short booo? Not a rude, kiss my grits BOOOO, but a short boooo. Just enough to let him know that we are not as stupid as he THINKS we are.
Debra:
I think even “kiss my grits BOOOOs” are covered by the first amendment. As for me, I don’t want him to misinterpret silence as acquiescence.
I just got back from the town hall in Moultrie sponsored by the AARP. A lady there told me that Isakson’s Town Hall in Tifton has been delayed until Wednesday. Has anybody else heard that and know the when and the where?
Saxby Chambliss has never met an illegal immigrant he didnt love. He also used his power to try and strong arm the families of the dead employees which were killed in the sugar plant down in south Georgia. And lets knot forget his vile and unpatriotic treatment of Senator Max Cleland. He is one of the sleazest politicians to ever represent our state.He is truly a disgrace to our great state.I find no comfort in knowing he may have a hand in shaping our nations health care agenda.god help us!
I just checked WALB and Isakson’s town hall meeting DID happen today. In the story, Isakson says that he does not support any of the current plans. That is more than we got out of Chambliss!
It did occur today. A friend tried to make it but caught them as they were leaving. Only 30 minutes long so it was easy to miss. I am calling Isakson’s and Chambliss’ office tomorrow and hope to get an honest answer on when and where these meetings will be. Bishop did the right thing in posting them in all the papers 2 weeks before they occur!
Saxby is a total sell out this year after having to win in a run-off. His list of earmarks is absolutely enormous. To figure out his support or semi-support is fairly easy when you follow the timeline and his intentions. He has requested 20 f-22′s outside of the defense budget. He met with the President (along with Sen. Isakson) and it was announced shortly after that the F-22′s were being cut from the defense budget. But since that meeting, Saxby seems to be on board. My guess… Saxby was told he would get his 20 F-22′s (which are built in GA and will probably keep many employed) along with the $70 Million dollar private jet he has requested if he supports the bill. I think cartman may have the sell-out on the wrong guy.
.-= Nick´s last blog ..President falsely claims health care plan endorsed by AARP… =-.
Is anybody, anybody, running against Johnny in 2010? I certainly hope so.
Debra-while Allen Buckley has not announced yet if he intends to run for the senate again, his supporters certainly hope he does so. Allen is an honest, respectable man who truly understands the issues facing our state. Anyone interested in Allen and what he stands for should contact the Georgia Libertarian Party.He would certainly Be a far better Senator than Saxby ever thought of being.Ill take a “liberal libertarian” over a pathetic “Republinaxi”any day of the week.
Ron,
My sense from watching Buckley at the LP-Ga convention this past April tells me he will not run again. I could be wrong, just the general impression I got from hearing him speak.
That said, his speech – regarding the Party needing to be moderate if we are to win – was spot on in my opinion.
Also, obviously if anyone is interested in the Libertarian Party in any way, feel free to contact me via chair@swga.lpgeorgia.com (I would give you my actual LPGeorgia.com address, but we’re still having technical difficulties there.) I happen to be both the Chair of the local Party as well as South GA Rep on the LP-Ga Executive Committee…
[...] do is do nothing. The cost of inaction is too great.” According to the chart and study quoted by Saxby Chambliss, the House bill will increase the cost of healthcare more than doing nothing at all according to [...]