Butterfield to host health care forum

Daily Herald Staff Report

ROCKY MOUNT — Home for the summer recess, U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield wants to hear what his District 1 constituents think about the various health care reform proposals being debated in Congress.

Butterfield, a Democrat representing part of Eastern North Carolina including the Roanoke Valley, will host a two-hour town hall Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m., at J.W. Parker Middle School in Rocky Mount.

“It is clear people want their opinions heard,” Butterfield said in a press statement. “I want to help people to understand why these changes are needed and exactly how they would benefit.”

Over the past week, Butterfield said he has met with constituents, small business owners and health care professionals to discuss health care reform.

He said he has visited four community health centers, two dialysis centers, one hospital and met with two groups of small business owners.

Butterfield said that people seem to have a great number of questions about the reform proposals, and he wanted an opportunity to counter the misinformation circulating about the legislation.

He says numerous false attacks have been made and listed errant descriptions of the health care reform proposals including describing it as big government spending, health care rationing for the elderly and a government takeover of healthcare.

Butterfield asserts reforms would not add to national debt and seniors’ coverage would be strengthened and improved. He added President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders have rejected the idea of a system that resembles Canadian-style socialized health care.

 “Health care reform is built around the central idea that we must stabilize costs for the middle class without sacrificing quality or choices,” Butterfield said. “The health care industry must be held accountable for delivering better value.”

 Butterfield said as America looks ahead, the current health care system is too expensive and leaves too much uncertainty. Without reform, he said, the cost of health care for the average family of four is projected to rise an average of $1,800 annually. And, he said, insurance companies will continue to increasingly control health care decisions.

 “Health care will cost the typical household roughly $15,000 this year,” Butterfield said. “With the status quo people should expect their costs to double over the next 10 years. Working families in Eastern North Carolina simply cannot afford those kinds of cost increases.”

The congressman asserts under the reform program health insurance costs for families would be reduced. Coverage denials for pre-existing conditions and insurance companies’ lifetime payment limits would also be eliminated, Butterfield said.

From his perspective, Butterfield believes reform would guaranteed affordable oral, hearing and vision care for children.

Individually choice of physicians and plans would remain in place, he said.

Paying for the reform “without adding to the national debt,” would be accomplished, Butterfield said, by  a surcharge on households earning more than $350,000 annually.

According to Butterfield’s statement less than 1 percent — 0.7 percent —  of the wage earners in the First Congressional District earn more than $200,000.