Tulsa World: State Chamber exec rips health bills

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State Chamber exec rips health bills
He says the pro- posals now in Con- gress are off target.

By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer
Published: 11/20/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2009 6:17 AM

Federal health-care reform plans are a "monumental mistake" that will increase health-care costs to unacceptable levels, the president of the State Chamber said Thursday afternoon.

Richard Rush, speaking at a Page One Luncheon at the Tulsa Press Club, also discussed several legislative targets for the next session, including property taxes, workers compensation and education funding.

Rush, who plans to retire in March after 23 years on the job, said a federally funded public health insurance program that competes with private insurers would raise costs and bring down quality.

"We think it is a very big mistake that would cause our grandchildren great pain and suffering as they try to take care of the great deficit that this would create," he said.

The State Chamber supports reform that creates a health-care system that is affordable, accessible and portable, he said.

"You can't solve it by saying we'll just tax the rich," he said.

The health-care plan passed by the U.S. House this month includes a surtax on people who are paid more than $500,000 a year in adjusted gross income. The version before the U.S. Senate would impose an excise tax on high-cost, or "Cadillac," health-care plans offered by employers.

The chamber will also work this year to fundamentally restructure the workers compensation system and require its judges to be approved by the state Senate.

It also opposes efforts to tie the state's education funding to regional levels, Rush said.

"That is not the way to support education," he said.

The problem with education funding in Oklahoma is that the tax base is too small, he said.

A recently discussed constitutional mandate to tie state school funding to the regional per-pupil spending average over three years would hurt Oklahoma's economy and infrastructure, Rush said.

"That means every other agency in government is going to have to take the money out," he said.

Chamber Chairman Phil Kennedy also spoke Thursday, highlighting efforts to support military communities in Oklahoma.

The chamber's military liaison committee will work with local chambers near military installations to support and increase their presence in the state, he said.

Shannon Muchmore 581-8378
shannon.muchmore@tulsaworld.com By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Federal health reform plans a "monumental mistake," state chamber president says," which was published on 11/19/2009.

	Report Comment Welcome to America !, Claremore (11/19/2009 1:26:17 PM) Wow, the T.W. can only be trying to make this guy look bad if they are printing this story. I'm just glad there's still real men that will stand up for the truth.
	Report Comment PhoenixIX, Jenks (11/19/2009 1:32:07 PM) RE:"would raise costs and bring down quality. It would be just the opposite in my opinion.Reform should lower costs and increase quality.
	Report Comment @HomeInTulsa, (11/19/2009 1:38:49 PM) Your right PhoenixIX that is what it SHOULD do. But this bill WON'T do that.
	Report Comment cowboytimothy, (11/19/2009 1:52:24 PM) This bill will help, no question about it, I believe it will add 31 million Americans under our health care system. The alternative is much worse, which is basically letting the 46 milion Americans without insurance grow to a much larger number.
	Report Comment Welcome to America !, Claremore (11/19/2009 2:06:53 PM) Forcing tax-payers to pay a "monthly tax for abortions", "monthly fees to subsidize immigrant care", what ! Cheaper ! Yep, that's gonna be cheaper. The illegals and the lazy get the benefits, errr, handouts, and the working folks get to foot the bill for those who won't work. This is the kind of president we have - WORTHLESS !
	Report Comment peelumba, (11/19/2009 2:11:04 PM) W T A....from clarmore no less...you information from fox is only meant to deceive and scare... not working.
	Report Comment thehero, (11/19/2009 2:19:52 PM) Wht else would would you expect from the State Chamber of Commerce. About as right wing as you can get.
	Report Comment true2form, Grand Lake (11/19/2009 2:20:57 PM) Far be it from me to say anything about the guys last name and that he's spouting the same inaccurate party line trumpets as the national Chamber.
	Report Comment MaintenanceMan, Tulsa (11/19/2009 2:22:22 PM) pealumba, no your wrong. We just can't afford to prove it to you.
	Report Comment MaintenanceMan, Tulsa (11/19/2009 2:24:08 PM) Don't take the word of guys who actually do business for a living everyday. In America. They are righties...
	Report Comment desert fox, (11/19/2009 2:26:57 PM) Chamber hacks are not looking out for common people, just excessive profits for the wealthy.
	Report Comment Alwaysbob, (11/19/2009 2:41:08 PM) health care reform is going to happen and there is not one thing the right can do about it. The fact that it makes so many on the right just fit to be tied is one of the funniest things I have ever witnessed. These are the same morons that ran out and purchased guns and ammo because Obama was going to try and take their guns. How did that work out for you? A year later are you making good use of all the ammo that fox convinced you to run out and buy? You have been spoon fed the same crap on healthcare and now ( I find this hilarious ) you are supporting the insurance lobbies push to kill any reform. Stupid with mustard sauce. Tell Glen Beck I said howdy
	Report Comment cowboytimothy, (11/19/2009 2:47:19 PM) I call my new ammo Beck bullets.
	Report Comment psychedelikrelik, Tulsa (11/19/2009 2:51:49 PM) Yeah, right. The Chamber has my best interests at heart. HA! WtA, wanna cracker? Squawk, parrot, squawk!
	Report Comment zzx375, BA (11/19/2009 3:11:40 PM) And what exactly will that gubmit run medical plan look like? What exactly will it cover?
	Report Comment Ignatz, A nice place where Democrats hold every office in the County. (11/19/2009 4:04:33 PM) Wow, I guess if the Chamber of Commerce (opposed every single progressive piece of legislation in the history of the Republic) is agin it, me too! (that's my droopy, My View, Newsmax way of looking at things).
	Report Comment heynow, (11/19/2009 6:37:05 PM) The "great deficit" is already here and it was created by a giant tax cut prior to 2 wars.
	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (11/19/2009 8:03:33 PM) Reform done as intended would be fantastic. . If they were offering real reform. The problem is, I think they have made deals with too many people behind closed doors.
	Report Comment getreal, (11/19/2009 8:34:30 PM) Rush should like the new bill, he can get his dope free!
	Report Comment desert fox, (11/19/2009 8:41:17 PM) If it passes Oklahoma will opt out for a few years and then realize the stupidity of that opting out. We are near the very bottom of being a healthy state, a very obese state, and both Okie men and women live 10 years LESS than the average US citizen.
	Report Comment bluedog1, (11/19/2009 9:00:49 PM) You know I don't think it is the rich people who complain as much as those who want to feed off of them. there is some good ol American spirit of helping the less fortunate in this country, even when they may have made bad decisions. Some of the Republicans can learn alot from the biblical prospective if they would remember it instead of trying to pander with it. The Ten Commandments Monument debacle it's self will cost the State enough to re-fill the Senior Nutrition Budget hole
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (11/19/2009 9:02:30 PM) Phoenix The one payer system did not lower cost in Canada it continue to climb.
	Report Comment jess, (11/19/2009 9:21:09 PM) There are so many things wrong with the proposed health care plan that it boggles the mind. How anyone with more than a room temp. I.Q. could want this monstrosity is beyond me. Having the Federal government run your health care is insanity.
	Report Comment Faith, (11/19/2009 9:27:14 PM) This plan is weak but it will cover more woman and uninsured who work hard and cannot afford insurance. It wouldn't be smart for the leaders to opt out or they might find they will lose their jobs, it will make them more accountable in each state.
	Report Comment Faith, (11/19/2009 9:27:39 PM) By the way what he is saying is pure BUNK.

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