Donnelly hoping for bipartisan effort on health care reform

June 29--ANDERSON -- Sen. Joe Donnelly said with the stalled vote in the U.S. Senate on a proposed health care bill he is reaching across the aisle to work on a bipartisan effort.

Donnelly, D-Ind., took part in a telephone town hall hosted by AARP Indiana that attracted 14,000 people on Wednesday.

"For all of the discussion about delays, politics, the process, vote counts, budget scores and analysis, it's critical we remember this health care debate is first and foremost about people," Donnelly said. "We all agree everyone needs access to quality, affordable health care ... this is such an important debate. It is inherently personal -- it's about the health, the well-being, and it's even about the life or death of our loved ones."

He said the Senate bill will raise costs for families, those people with pre-existing conditions and the elderly.

Donnelly said if passed the Senate bill would bring an end to the Healthy Indiana Plan and that 300,000 Hoosier will lose insurance coverage.

"In order to strengthen our health care system we would be better served by working together with a bipartisan effort and with input from those who provide health care every single day -- the doctors, the nurses, the hospitals in urban communities, in rural communities, all across our country," he said.

Donnelly said he has approached Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., about working together, adding that Young is working hard to get the health care legislation right.

"I am reviewing the discussion draft and speaking with folks at home, but one thing is clear: doing nothing is not an option," Young said in a statement released last week.

The AARP of Indiana has invited Young to participate in a telephone town hall in the future.

Lawmakers should be working to stabilize the insurance markets and to make health care more affordable and accessible, Donnelly said.

"I'm hoping Republicans will work on a bipartisan bill," he said. "I've reached out to Republican senators about how we can work together."

Concerning people with pre-existing medical conditions, Donnelly said the Affordable Care Act provided insurance coverage at the same rates for everyone. He said the Senate bill puts the states in control and they could exclude some pre-existing coverage.

"I will fight to protect coverage for pre-existing conditions and make sure they are covered," Donnelly said.

The Senate bill was not about health care but was cutting money from health care to provide tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, Donnelly said.

He said a recent report stated the tax cuts for the richest 400 families would pay Medicaid costs for five states.

Donnelly said the Affordable Care Act passed during the administration of former President Barack Obama is not perfect, but lawmakers should work together to make it better.

Asked by a Pendleton resident what could be brought to the bargaining table, Donnelly said health insurance could be provided to younger Americans that was less comprehensive with lower premiums and, by including them being in the insurance pool, reduce the costs for everyone.

He said the provisions of the Healthy Indiana Plan could be implemented nationwide to reduce costs.

"Getting it right is the critical thing," Donnelly said of any legislation passed by the Congress on health care. "The first rule is do no harm. The Senate bill did a lot of harm."

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.

From the White House

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the Republican health care effort is "working along very well" and suggested there could be a "big surprise coming." The White House did not elaborate on what Trump meant.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump told reporters getting approval of a Senate health care bill will be "very tough." But he predicted that Republicans will at least "get very close" and may "get it over the line."

-- The Associated Press

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 640-4863.

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