WHEELING - Two local congressmen on Friday indicated their support for the House's $1.2 trillion health care reform bill, noting they believe the nation's health care system is in need of an overhaul.
U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., opposes the measure, however, as she believes Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 1,990-page bill ''amounts to a trillion dollar over-reach that will raise taxes on small businesses and cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid.''
"West Virginians believe that we need health care reform, but they're far from convinced that the Speaker's bill is the right way forward,'' she said.
The Intelligencer on Friday submitted 13 questions concerning the House health care bill to the offices of U.S. Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, D-W.Va.; Capito; and U.S. Reps. Charles Wilson and Zack Space, D-Ohio.
Mollohan and Wilson indicated they would support the bill while Capito opposes it. Space did not respond to e-mails or requests for comment left at his office.
None of the four members of Congress answered the questions as presented, instead opting to issue prepared statements outlining their stance on health care reform. Questions that were ignored include the bill's cost; whether or not members had personally read all 1,990 pages; whether or not members believed the vote was being rushed given that coverage under the bill would not begin until 2013; and why Pelosi's bill leaves, at her own estimates, 8 million Americans uninsured. Capito was the only member to answer whether or not members of Congress should be required to enroll in the government run public option plan if it is included in the final bill.
Fact Box
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES ON HEALTH REFORM
Editor's note: The following questions pertaining to the House health care reform bill were submitted Friday to U.S. Reps. Alan B. Mollohan, D-W.Va.; Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; and Charles Wilson and Zack Space, D-Ohio. Neither Mollohan, Capito nor Wilson directly answered the questions; Space did not respond to request for comments.
- Will you vote for the House health care reform bill in its current form?
- Have you personally read all 1,990 pages of the House health reform bill?
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi initially said the House health reform bill would cost $894 billion over 10 years, but later estimates have raised that cost to $1.2 trillion. What do you believe the health care bill will cost?
- If the House leadership is unclear over the final cost of the bill, how can you be clear?
- The House version of the health reform bill is only a week old, but is already planned for a vote on Saturday. According to the bill, coverage will not start until 2013. Why does it appear that this vote is being rushed?
- Again, the bill has been public for a week. Do you believe there has been enough time for hearings, discussion or the opportunity for the public to view this bill, decipher it and then form an opinion?
- Has there been enough time for you to read it and form an educated opinion?
- What is your estimate of the number of people who currently are uninsured?
- How many uninsured are there in your district?
- Speaker Pelosi said the House plan will insure 36 million of the 44 million Americans currently without health insurance. How many people do you believe the House plan will insure?
- If Speaker Pelosi's numbers are correct, that leaves 8 million Americans without health care. If the House is serious about health care reform, why are some Americans still being left out?
- If the option for a government run health care program remains in the House bill, will you, as a member of Congress, choose to take that option to show your faith in the system?
- Are you concerned about the effect on senior citizens of massive funding cuts for Medicare?
"If it's good enough for our constituents, then it should be good enough for members of Congress," Capito said of the public option. "Unfortunately, our Democratic colleagues have turned back Republican amendments that would have ensured that members of Congress are enrolled in any newly created government option."
A vote on the House measure could happen this weekend, and the interest by constituents is obvious as it took a number of attempts Friday to get through the phone systems in Congressional offices.
The vote initially was slated to happen today; Democratic leadership pushed that back until at least Sunday as they hope to gain the votes needed for its passage.
Mollohan seems ready to support the proposed legislation but said he has one caveat.
"I am firmly committed to comprehensive reform of our health insurance system and look forward to supporting it on the floor of the House," he said. "I am, however, working to strengthen language in the bill to prohibit public funding of abortion."
Capito questions what affect an expansion of the Medicaid program as specified in the current legislation would have on West Virginia's state budget. She believes this would create an additional unfunded mandate for the states.
Capito also questioned proposed changes to Medicare in the 1,990-page House bill.
"Nearly 70,000 West Virginians are on Medicare Advantage and the Speaker's bill will essentially gut the program clearly breaking the President's promise that 'if you like your current plan, you can keep it.'''
Wilson on Friday announced his support for the proposed health care legislation.
"As we wind down to the final hours of the health care debate, I have thought long and hard about what is in the best interest of my district," he said. "Emotions have run high on both sides of the issue for many months now and I have listened to a wide range of voices from across my district in order to best inform my decision. While the Affordable Health Care for America Act is not a perfect bill, there are benefits in it that are hard to ignore."
He cited ''figures'' that in the 6th District of Ohio he represents, the bill "will help almost 13,000 small businesses provide good health care coverage for their employees."
It also will close the prescription drug "doughnut hole" for more than 9,000 senior citizens, Wilson said, adding it will help 174,000 households in the district obtain better health care coverage.
Wilson did not disclose how he came to the numbers provided in his prepared statement.
"I have always promised my constituents that I will vote in their best interest," he said. "There are times that I have disagreed with House leadership when I felt like what they were doing would unfairly punish my district as was the case with the Cap and Trade bill earlier this year.
"I am never afraid to stand up for what is right. On this issue, what I believe is right is a health reform bill that will bring stability and security to the health care system, lower the cost of health care and ensure broader coverage. With those goals having been met, I am proud to announce my support for H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act."