Editorial: Health care reform: Slow down, do it right

A trillion dollars here, another trillion there ... so what's another trillion or so for health care reform?

President Barack Obama and Congress are forging ahead, trying to meet the president's self-imposed mandate to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by Aug. 8, just before our representatives take their "well-deserved" one-month vacation.

Frankly, we would rather see Congress take its time, get the provisions of any bill right and then proceed with both parties working together. Is that too much to ask?

What worries us is a repeat of the $790 billion bill passed earlier this year. Congressmen did not receive the 1,073-page document until the day before they voted on the bill, and we doubt if one legislator read all 1,000-plus pages before casting his or her vote.

We're concerned that cash-strapped states like Nevada could fall further into the monetary black hole. Even Democratic governors in Montana and Vermont have voiced their concerns that this health care bill is an unfunded mandate and will cost their states thousands - if not millions - of dollars that could be used elsewhere.

That's what No Child Left Behind became, and the states were spending upward of 60 percent of their budgets to meet the requirements of this education-reform bill.

Furthermore, the president's budget maker concedes the bill's Medicare payments to doctors may cost an addition $240 billion during the next decade, but the administration may reduce payments to physicians by as much as $6 billion.

And the taxes ... most Americans will see their taxes increase to pay for those who do not have health insurance. This comes at a time when most Americans and the businesses for which they work are struggling for every dollar that is out there.

And what about those small businesses that may not be able to afford mandatory health insurance for their employees? They could be penalized with an 8 percent tax, resulting in businesses not hiring as many employees. Higher taxes and penalties will swell the unemployment ranks.

The current bill is being rushed, and senators and congressmen owe it to their citizens to make any type of health-care coverage fair and equitable.

After all, we are counting on each one of you to have ample time to read the bill this time and keep your constituents informed.

• This editorial originated in the Lahontan Valley News.