3 months ago
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Several groups have rallied against it, while others have pledged their allegiance.
When it comes to the issue of health care reform, it really depends on who you talk to. A recent study by the University of Arkansas found Arkansans are split on the issue.
Tuesday two Arkansas groups spoke out, one for a reform bill creating a government organized insurance option, and the other against.
When it comes to health care, AARP and the Campaign for Responsible Health Reform (paid by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) agree change is needed.
They disagree, though, about whether the government should be the source of change.
Tuesday a the Campaign for Responsible Health Reform panel, in Little Rock, included small businesses owners, a lawmaker, an insurance agent and a medical insider neurologist Dr. Kathryn Chenault.
"We want people to get appropriate healthcare coverage but if we put a quick patch on it we're going to make the situation worse," says Dr. Chenault. "This is not going to be a quick fix, there is no quick fix to this situation."
Dr. Chenault adds, "I want our government to take the time to perform evidence based reform. I want them to slow down look at each individual thing to see what we can do to really fix the system not patch that's not going to work in the long run."
The group says the house's health care reform bill, and the one working its way through the Senate, hurt seniors by making deep cuts to Medicare, not true says AARP.
AARP State Director Maria Reynolds-Diaz says, "What we would like to see is that Medicare is saved and strengthened and this bill does that."
AARP has just announced its members support the reform at a rate of two to one. "75,000 of them don't have insurance and this bill will allow them to get subsidies and have choices on insurance," says Reynolds-Diaz.
Both backers and opponents of the reform bills have warned taxpayers, who are sorting through this debate, to consider the source.
AARP says its members support of health care reform crosses party lines.
The groups says, this study just confirms its doing the right thing by publicly supporting the bills.
The Campaign for Responsible Health Reform says its members are regular citizens who are concerned with the possible impact of this bill.
They say the mandates for small business owners will cost us jobs.
