By FRC
Tonight, President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress to discuss health care. While he and his speechwriters are putting their polishing touches on what he will say, I would like to give him some unsolicited advice by reiterating what FRC has been saying for years about what any health care reform should include.
First is portability and accessibility. The national priority should focus on affordable health insurance for insured and uninsured families; not on creating government-controlled programs to ensure all Americans receive a one-size-fits-all insurance policy.
Second, any such plan should, at the minimum, maintain current public protections from forcing taxpayers to pay for abortion -- this can only be done by specifically excluding it, something none of the current plans being discussed do.
The third priority is there should be no government mandates. Families (and businesses) should not be faced with massive fines if they fail to follow the orders of Washington on health insurance. Enough with the Nanny State!
A fourth concern should focus on choice, which would include real portability that is long term portability. Choice also includes the right of parents to be involved with the health decisions of their children and to have access to their medical records. And choice means being able to select physicians and plans based on those benefits deemed most appropriate for a specific family.
Choice also plays into the final criterion--the right of conscience needs to be protected. This means the conscience of health care providers and medical students must be protected as well as the corporate conscience of health insurers and their subscribers.
These principles are what I hear as I travel the nation and as I attended town hall meetings. Is the President listening?
First is portability and accessibility. The national priority should focus on affordable health insurance for insured and uninsured families; not on creating government-controlled programs to ensure all Americans receive a one-size-fits-all insurance policy.
Second, any such plan should, at the minimum, maintain current public protections from forcing taxpayers to pay for abortion -- this can only be done by specifically excluding it, something none of the current plans being discussed do.
The third priority is there should be no government mandates. Families (and businesses) should not be faced with massive fines if they fail to follow the orders of Washington on health insurance. Enough with the Nanny State!
A fourth concern should focus on choice, which would include real portability that is long term portability. Choice also includes the right of parents to be involved with the health decisions of their children and to have access to their medical records. And choice means being able to select physicians and plans based on those benefits deemed most appropriate for a specific family.
Choice also plays into the final criterion--the right of conscience needs to be protected. This means the conscience of health care providers and medical students must be protected as well as the corporate conscience of health insurers and their subscribers.
These principles are what I hear as I travel the nation and as I attended town hall meetings. Is the President listening?
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