SALEM — Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., criticized health care reform proposed by Democrats and promoted a bill he cosponsors during a forum at the Ingram Senior Center yesterday.
Gregg criticized the system proposed in the Kennedy-Dodd Bill, which would establish a government-run program to compete with private providers, as being a "horse down the road" from a single-payer system. Gregg claimed the plan proposed by Democrats would lead to delays in care and a system where health care services are rationed.
"You would end up with a massive migration off private insurance," Gregg said.
Gregg said he believed Congress would pass some kind of health care reform, but what that will be lies in the hands of Democrats, who hold a super-majority in Washington. He pointed to a bill he supports, which is signed off on by a group of senators from both parties, as common ground between Democrats and Republicans.
"There is a place where we can reach a consensus," Gregg said.
He said reforming health care should focus on providing cash incentives for people living healthy lifestyles, reducing lawsuits that drive up health care costs, and addressing conditions that drive up costs, like obesity.
In response to a question from the audience on the future of Medicare, Gregg said reform to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security would have to be addressed in the near future or the federal government will spend nearly all of its money on those programs 20 years from now.
"There is no way around this," Gregg said.
Along similar lines, he said he believed the country was in line for serious financial troubles in the near future.
"Our country is facing a financial meltdown of massive proportions about 10 years from now," Gregg said.
When he arrived at the senior center just before 9 a.m. yesterday, he was greeted by a small group holding signs demanding health care reform. But the dozens of people in attendance remarked at how civil the discussions were inside.
"I thought it went very well, I was happy it went very civil," said Jeff Hatch, chairman of Salem's Republican Committee.
Audience member Dennis McCarthy expressed his concern about the health care system, which he said "isn't working." But he commended Gregg for keeping the conversation polite yesterday.
"This is a phenomenal way of doing this," McCarthy said.
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