In January, U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, voted to rescind the Affordable Health Care Act, agreeing with the GOP that it would cost more than $200 billion in the next 10 years and increase medical costs. In its place, she favors such solutions as small-business health plans, malpractice lawsuit reform, greater use of health savings accounts and purchasing insurance across state lines.
An analysis in the March 28 issue of Bloomberg Business Week said these items will save only $5 billion per year. An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said curbing medical malpractice would be a $5 billion savings per year; purchasing insurance across state lines, $750 million savings per year; small business health plans, no annual savings; HSAs, negative $30 million per year savings. And the CBO projects that the Affordable Health Care Act will save $200 billion in 10 years and lower health care costs.
I asked the congresswoman’s office for her source material when she made these comments. They still haven’t arrived. In a Jan. 19 Columbian story, “Health care debate retakes center stage” regarding the repeal, the congresswoman said, “Getting this right is one of the reasons the people of Southwest Washington sent me to Congress.” So far, she’s not getting it right.
Paul Holmes
Vancouver
