Rep. Rob Andrews, D-N.J., on Monday sought to correct what he said was a poor job done by himself and his colleagues in explaining the recently signed health care reform package.
"I blame myself and other people who are for this bill and who did a poor job of explaining it," Andrews said at a Camden County College forum.
Andrews was greeted by a largely respectful but occasionally vocal audience of about 100 people, most of whom turned out to express concern and anger over the bill that Andrews helped write. The 11-term congressman from Haddon Heights also faced his likely Republican challenger this November, Dale Glading, a prison minister from Barrington.
Glading confronted Andrews about what the congressman conceded was a less-than-comprehensive malpractice litigation reform component in the package.
"One-half of one percent of health care costs in this country are attributable to the litigation system," Andrews said, citing data from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office
"But that's real money," Glading countered to audience applause.
Under Glading's questioning, Andrews also admitted that heavy campaign contributions from the legal industry weakened efforts to implement tougher tort reforms.
"Truthfully, part of it is interest-group influence," Andrews said. But he asserted that perceptions were exaggerated about the impact of nuisance litigation on the health care industry.
Garden Staters are split on the $938 billion health insurance overhaul, which extends coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, according to a recent Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll.
It found a 48 percent plurality of respondents were dissatisfied or angry about the bill, while 47 percent were satisfied or enthusiastic.
Andrews, whose 1st Congressional District spans the tri-county region, predicted that the reforms would pay dividends for overtaxed New Jersey residents.
"By any accounting the state of New Jersey will come out of this in the black," Andrews said. "New Jersey is spending about $900 million a year every year paying hospitals that care for the uninsured."
Andrews batted back accusations that the new system was socialism modeled on European nations. Rather, he said, insured Americans are currently being overcharged to cover the costs incurred by the uninsured. In addition, he added, the new system forces insurance companies to offer lower prices in a more crowded marketplace.
"Today the typical health insurance company spends $70 and keeps $30 of every $100 it takes in for overhead and profit," Andrews said. "They are able to do this because they're in a market where typically they don't have much competition."
But some in the audience were dubious about the long-term cost savings heralded by Democrats, and fearful about the consequences for those who refused to buy into the system.
"Any bill that is more than 2,700 pages long is fraught with unintended consequences, said George Zallie, a supermarket owner and GOP candidate for Camden County freeholder.
Andrews sought to clear up what he said were misperceptions about the bill, such as the unfounded fear that a central committee will determine who gets end-of-life care, and that people who refuse to buy coverage will go to jail.
Reach Jane Roh at (856) 486-2919 or jroh@gannett.com
JerseyDevil, and 
SS4720 are discussing. 
SS4720 7:55 am on April 20, 2010 Permalink |
What kind of process is this, that Andrews waits until weeks AFTER this thing is signed before he attempts to hold any meaningful discussion with those he represents?!? He didn’t have the guts (or respect for his constituents) to have an open dialogue before the deed was done, and now his job is to ’sell’ what’s already been done? I want a representative – not a publicist. And I want less of Andrews’ form of patronizing government – not more. Undo this.
JerseyDevil 11:29 am on April 20, 2010 Permalink |
Andrews admitted to Mr. Glading that “heavy campaign contributions from the legal industry weakened efforts to implement tougher tort reforms.”?? WOW! YOU GO DALE! District 1 should vote Andrews OUT and Dale IN!