Politics & Government

Students Grill Lance on Health Care

The congressman spoke to the high schoolers this morning before heading down to Trenton.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High students got the unique opportunity this morning to ask Congressman Leonard Lance his thoughts on the health care debate and other issues currently on Washington’s radar.

Lance, who represents New Jersey’s 7th District, spoke to the school’s government and economics classes for about an hour, before heading off to Trenton for a press conference with fellow Republican and gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie.

Calling the health care proposal “very controversial,” Lance said he does not agree with the portions that call for a public option to compete with private insurers.

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 “It might lead to having more businesses go into a public option, and eventually have a system where the government provides health care all American people,” Lance argued.

The congressman told the students that he believes that U.S. citizens have come to expect expedient health service, and that he thinks it’s unlikely they’d ever agree to a program that would force them to wait on care.

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“It’s an American tradition to continue to provide health care through a private insurance market,” Lance said. “The facts indicate that in systems like in Great Britain and Canada, there are waiting lists for elective surgeries. That has not been the tradition in this country.”

Students were quick to challenge Lance on his views, providing statistics and facts to back up their own opinions.

“Don’t you think tradition can be discounted when 15 percent of Americans are uninsured?” asked Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor.

“I think the American people are impatient; I don’t think they’ll tolerate waiting,” Lance said in response, going on to point out that he thinks a good portion of the uninsured could be covered in ways that don’t include a public option. Lance said that a percentage of the uninsured include illegal immigrants, whom he doesn’t believe should receive U.S. health care. Another 7 or 8 million are uninsured young people who, through legislation he supports, could potentially stay on their parent’s insurance until their late 20s. Lance said he also supports giving people the freedom to purchase insurance across state lines, which he thinks would help reduce the 10 million or so uninsured people who work for small businesses.

Other students argued their belief that a public option could push private insurers to be more competitive and thus reduce corruption and high prices. Lance said that while there are merits to that, he’s concerned that the government doesn’t have a detailed plan for how to pay for a public option, particularly since one of its current services, Medicare, is expected to go bankrupt in a few years.

Lance went on to say that he thinks it’s a violation of individual liberty to require all of America to be insured, regardless of whether they want to be.

Lance reminded the students that the countries that do have a public option, like France, are widely different than the U.S., and that’s part of the reason he thinks that model works there and wouldn’t work here. Lance pointed out that Americans are far more diverse and thus have a variety of health outcomes. America is also "the king of the world for litigation,” he said, noting that a tort system like ours doesn’t exist elsewhere.

Lance said that he favors legislation that would cut down on the amount of unnecessary procedures doctors provide in fear of being sued.

“This bill doesn’t include medical malpractice reform,” he said.

In regards to health care for illegal immigrants, one student questioned whether it would be more in America’s financial interest to cover them, since many are forced to visit the emergency room when in need, a costly decision that drives health care costs up for everyone.

“That might be, not using emergency rooms might be cheaper,” Lance said. “However, American people are not in favor of covering illegal immigrants, and Congress reflects the view of those who elect us.”

Other students diverted from the health care discussion to ask Lance about his thoughts on other issues, including Iran. Lance said that he does not trust Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, citing his claims that the Holocaust didn’t happen and that he plans to wipe out Israel as proof that he’s not a responsible leader and thus must be dealt with.

Lance noted that there were obviously some in attendance who don't agree with him on the issues, but that he commended them and all of the students for the thoughtfulness of their questions.

“There is no right or wrong answer here,” he said.


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