On President Obama’s 200th day anniversary, the Wisconsin Republican Party diagnoses his plan on health care. Chairman Reince Priebus says Obama’s public choice option would possess the same problems seen currently with Medicaid and Medicare which is not compensating medical providers the full amount. While a procedure may cost $100, the government will reimburse only $50. Priebus says this will force the clinics and hospitals to increase rates on private insurers making premiums outrageously expensive for customers to maintain their policies. It will eventually cause private plans to fold.
Proponents of public choice believe the policy would bring more competition to the marketplace and be beneficial to the consumer.
The GOP leader admits reform needs to happen.
“It’s not the quality of health care that’s the problem, its the price of health care in the United States,” says Priebus.
He believes the solution lies in a bill co-sponsored by Janesville Republican House member Paul Ryan. The Patients Choice Act would give tax breaks to those who carry their own insurance plans and penalize insurance companies that cherry pick only the healthiest of customers to provide coverage for.