U.S. Chamber Testimony Applauds Efforts to Expand Affordable Health Care Coverage

Josten Urges Congress to 'Use Caution When Crafting Proposals'

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In testimony before the Senate Finance Committee today, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President of Government Affairs Bruce Josten applauded Congress' efforts to achieve access to affordable health care coverage for all Americans, and urged caution when crafting proposals that could prove harmful to the U.S. economy.

"We have to get health care costs under control so that we can provide sustainable coverage to those Americans who cannot afford it," said Josten. "Expanding coverage will necessitate a myriad of approaches. We should begin by enrolling those who are already eligible for government-subsidized or free insurance."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of the 46 million Americans without health insurance an estimated 11 million people are currently eligible for government-sponsored health insurance. Another 10 million of the uninsured are non-citizens and 15 million have high enough incomes that they likely could afford insurance. This leaves 10 million people who truly need help.

"Covering these 10 million individuals will entail many challenges," Josten stated. "Congress needs to design a plan that simultaneously encourages individuals who can afford coverage to opt in, enrolls those who are already eligible for free or subsidized care, and clamps down on costs so that everyone can afford coverage. Funds will need to be redirected, and it will be a challenge to ensure that new subsidies and obligations do not disrupt the employer-sponsored system, which is currently working for more than 130 million Americans.

"An employer mandate would be a job killer," said Josten. "It would force struggling employers to spend money they don't have, reduce flexibility and choice, and raise employer costs in an economy that is already shedding jobs."

Josten also expressed concern over the creation of a new government-run health plan, which supporters refer to as the "public option." "Creating a new public plan would put the government in a position of being both a team owner and a referee," Josten noted. "We have had bad experiences with current government-run plans that increase health insurance costs for everyone with private insurance, and the public plan would inevitably have unfair advantages.

"The Chamber is eager to work with Congress to reduce the number of uninsured, reform entitlement programs, and revamp and improve the health care system," Josten concluded. "If Congress develops a fair proposal that makes things better for individuals and business, we will work with them to enact it."

Josten's complete testimony is available at:
/issues/testimony/2009/090505healthcarecoverage

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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