(Photo by Eric Stock/WJBC)
By Greg Halbleib
As the Republican Senate version of an Obamacare replacement appears to be dead, two area representatives on Capitol Hill tell WJBC that work needs to continue to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin mere defeat of the Republican plan is not enough.
“I would say to my Democratic colleagues, don’t do high fives for goodness’ sakes,” Durbin said. “We still have work to do. To my Republican colleagues, you’ve pushed your idea, it didn’t work, now let’s get together. Let’s try to find some common ground here. The American people don’t care who wins the political victory. They want to make sure we solve the problems.”
PODCAST: Listen here to Scott Laughlin’s interview with Sen. Durbin.
One of the problems U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) wants to solve is the upward spiral of insurance premiums that has occurred in the Obamacare marketplace, pointing out that a plan that allows shopping for coverage across state lines to improve competition already exists for federal employees.
“This was a plan that you could purchase anywhere in the country, the same premium, the same requirements, and go get seen anywhere in the country,” Davis said. “You could, frankly, work at an embassy across the globe and still choose that as your healthcare coverage.”
PODCAST: Listen here to Scott Laughlin’s interview with Rep. Davis.
Davis added that he continues to hear about struggles with high costs of plans through the Obamacare marketplace, including one couple he heard about last week.
“He and his wife pay $800 a month for their premiums, but they have a $10,000 deductible,” Davis said. “So before they get dollar one of coverage outside of basic physicals and checkups, they’ve got to invest $19,000 plus. The statistics and the spreadsheet say they may have insurance, but how do you use it?”
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin agreed that high premiums are just one part of the current system’s problems.
“Premiums are too darned expensive for people in the individual market, and that’s a problem,” Durbin said. “The cost of prescription drugs is driving hospitalization premiums through the roof. That’s a problem. People need to make sure that wherever you live in America, you have a choice of healthcare plans that are quality plans. That’s a problem. Let’s do those basic things and get them right.”
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
