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No matches found.Burr touts affordable, accessible coverage
Republican senator supports access for every American
The month of August brought two Democrats to Kinston — U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C. and U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C. — to discuss their views regarding health care reform.
It looked like the month was going to end without a Republican voice on the matter, but U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., shared his vision of reform with The Free Press after a meeting at Spirit on Thursday.
“(Republicans) believe that any plan to be successful has to provide the access to every American to affordable, accessible coverage,” Burr said. “Even if that means providing some type of financial stipend to individuals that don’t have the resources to purchase their health insurances by themselves.”
Burr took time to address the issue of tort reform, a measure that has been largely excluded from the health care reform debate. He said tort reform needs to be done on a state level.
“You’ve got to rely on 50 states to do it, so some of us have come up with quite creative approaches,” Burr said. “We (could) offer financial incentives like a bonus to your Medicaid payment if you adopt one of our prescribed tort liability reforms.”
Burr acknowledged a strain could be placed on those in the medical field if all Americans become insured.
“We have a smaller group of people who choose health care as a profession and we’ve got to encourage that,” he said. “The single most important way is to get reimbursements back into the realm of what is needed for physicians to practice.”
Burr, a member of the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, recently joined Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in the introduction of The Patient’s Choice Act.
The legislation is based on Burr’s pursuit of affordable health care that avoids a one-size-fits-all program. He released a statement this month acknowledging his willingness to compromise.
“I am willing to entertain any good idea as long as it covers all Americans, stresses wellness and prevention and does not increase taxes or add to our national debt,” he said.
Sarah Campbell can be reached at (252) 559-1076 or scampbell@freedomenc.com.
