A rush to pass a government healthcare plan may put America on the critical list

The following is from Chritina Wijfjes-Smit of the Phoenix Examiner. It adresses the "need" felt by the administration to ramrod through legislation that will affect every American.

The push from the Obama administration to pass a government healthcare plan, before the August recess, has a growing number of Americans feeling uneasy. Without knowing specifics or even an estimated cost we are being asked to support a bill that has yet to have a final draft. To make such an important decision, one that will affect the entire country, without all the facts is simply irresponsible.

On Thursday, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget office said, "In the legislation that has been reported, we do not see the sort of fundamental changes that would be necessary to reduce the trajectory of federal health spending by a significant amount. And on the contrary, the legislation significantly expands the federal responsibility for health care costs." In other words it will drive us deeper into debt.

Cost is the biggest issue of healthcare reform. Before we pass a bill we have to know the bottom line. We have to know how we will pay for it. We also need to know the affects a proposed bill will have on the individual citizen, small business owners, doctors and hospitals. In order to make a decision on the best path to healthcare reform we must be able to read, debate and examine a detailed, tangible bill. For all that to be accomplished in two weeks is, in a word, impossible.

Healthcare reform is needed. But we must remember that our current system has been in place for decades and there simply is no easy fix. What is the hurry? Is this administration willing to pass a deficient bill so they will appear expedient? If so what will be the cost? By rushing to pass flawed legislation, President Obama runs the risk of making things worse rather than better. By enacting reform for the sake of reform we put the American people and their healthcare into jeopardy. We need to take a step back and allow for the time needed to put together a reform bill that the American people can understand and embrace. If we continue on this hurried unstable path mistakes will be made, mistakes that hurt instead of help, mistakes that may very well place Americans and their healthcare in critical condition.

For more on this topic:
Paying for the comprehensive healthcare overhaul
Reform of healthcare in the U.S.
Arizona’s proposed health-choice bill HCR2014

For more information:
Health reform, www.healthreform.gov