Category | News

Panel talks health care at forum

Published on February 23, 2010 by Kevin Hagler

The Econometric Center and the Small Business Development Center at the Coles College of Business presented a Health Care Town Hall Forum Thursday.

The forum was designed to address the complex nature of the health care industry.

Dr. Donald Sabbarese, director of the Econometric Center, moderated the event.

The panel of guests included Tobin Watt, a practicing health care attorney; Jim Budzinski, executive vice president and CFO for WellStar Health System; Dr. Ken Braunstein, hermatologist and oncologist; and Congressman Phil Gingrey, U.S. representative for Georgia’s 11th district.

The rising cost of health care was one of the main issues addressed. Sabbarese noted that from 2004 to 2009, health care costs increased 4.5 percent annually, while disposable income increased slightly more than 2 percent.

“Clearly, the cost of health care is too high,” said Gingrey, who added that he believes massive comprehensive health care reform is not the way to curb rising premiums.

The panel also addressed the notion of expanding coverage to more Americans. Budzinski said he believes in the expansion of health care coverage, as 10 percent of the patients WellStar treat are uninsured. But Watt pointed out that “universal health care would be a complete disaster,” and encouraged the audience to be realistic about health care coverage. He added his opinion that “we are eventually going to get to rationing.”

Braunstein, one of the more animated members of the panel, said, “Government cost shifting is the reason why our system is broken.”

Braunstein added his belief that government “scares” people from getting care through unnecessary regulation and fraudulence.

“We don’t have a healthcare system,” Budzinski, who explained that there is not enough emphasis on health, wellness and prevention. He cited lifestyle choices as a contributor to many health ills, and pointed out that too many Americans are obese and smoke.

Braunstein responded by saying the population cannot be made healthier because of “genetics.” Braunstein added that since the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, it faces unique problems not found in “most countries [that]don’t have the genetic mish-mosh that we have.”

Attendees were invited to voice their opinions during the question-and-answer session. One concerned citizen expressed frustration with rising premiums and brought a letter from Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance stating that his premium was going up by 24 percent this year. Watt responded that the health care industry has “very low profit margins,” and that anger towards health insurance agencies is largely unjustified.

Forum attendee Norma Gore told her congressman,  “Nothing is being done about the middle class.” Gore, a diabetic, explained that she is now unemployed due to the recession and has to choose between either making a mortgage payment or paying her health insurance. She said that “If [congress] can’t do health care, they need to get out.”

Gingrey noted that Democrats and Republicans don’t agree on 80 percent of the pending legislation and fears that “we’re going to turn [our health care system] all over to the government.” Moving forward, Gingrey noted the tone change in President Obama and said the president is finally starting to sound “very bipartisan”.

Gingrey said he is interested in what the president has to say during the health care summit on Feb. 25.

Drew Tonsmeire, Interim Area Director of the KSU Small Business Development Center said of the forum, “Overall it was very well attended with great panelists and great discussion. We’ve discovered some of the factors that drive the issue of health care.”