Sen. Rounds takes health care questions in ‘tele-townhall’

Sept. 28--On the heels of another failed GOP health care reform bill, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds didn't go as far as saying a full repeal of Obamacare without a replacement is the next step.

Rounds took questions Wednesday in what was billed as a "tele-townhall," and the forum took place amid a fever pitch in Washington, D.C. Almost simultaneously, the latest Senate Republicans saw their health care reform plan fall flat one more time and the GOP introduced tax reform framework that would drop the number of income tax rates from seven to three.

And the first-term South Dakota Republican was met with questions about the health care reform effort right off the bat.

Each caller was introduced by their first name and hometown, and the first question for Rounds asked why there's a need for "government-controlled health care." The caller offered the idea of a straight repeal of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, but Rounds said the ACA is the only option for some.

"I can tell you that one of the concerns that we're going to have out there is that a lot of the American public have no place else to go except through the plans that have been put in place," Rounds said.

In his introductory statement, Rounds said the failure of the Graham-Cassidy health care bill doesn't mean Republicans have given up on reforming Obamacare, but it does mean it's unlikely to be discussed any time soon.

Rounds said he and a group of legislators will look to find ways to address rising health care premiums, but for the time being, the focus has turned to tax reform. One plan he doesn't agree with is U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" plan.

A caller named Robert from Sioux Falls was the fourth to ask Rounds a question. With a deep voice and stern tone, Robert asked why the Vermont senator's plan isn't being considered.

Rounds was quick to point to existing concerns in government-run Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service as good examples of unsuccessful service.

"We had a gentleman here a little while ago call on VA and the challenges he's got with VA, and I've been battling now for two years with the Indian Health Service that provides basically a government-run system there, I wish that on nobody," Rounds said. "... I think we make a serious mistake if we trust the federal government with all of our health care."

But with health care reform floundering and tax reform next on the docket, Rounds was asked about the "disunity" within the Republican Party despite a GOP-led U.S. House of Representatives, Senate and White House. And Rounds admitted the Republican trifecta hasn't gone as smoothly as it could.

"I will tell you that it's a fair statement to say that we have really struggled as the majority party in trying to get things done," Rounds said.

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