Cassidy gives state credibility in DC
Published 1:41 pm Wednesday, May 31, 2017
<p class="p1">U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, is making a national name for himself as an effective advocate for reforming health care. Bloomberg News went so far as to say the U.S. Senate couldn’t pass health care overhaul without Cassidy’s help.</p><p class="p3">The House-passed measure aimed at replacing Obamacare has received poor public acceptance, and Cassidy, a physician, said that is because it overlooks patients, its “one crucial constituency.” The Louisiana senator said he wants a more robust replacement for Obamacare that lives up to President Trump’s campaign promise to replace it with a law that covers people at a lower cost.</p><p class="p3">“That might sound like wishful thinking, yet if Senate Republicans want to do anything on health care, they have no choice but to listen to Cassidy,” Bloomberg said. The report said Cassidy could become the critical vote in getting a Senate bill passed.</p><p class="p3">Cassidy wants a bill that lowers premiums and expands coverage. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, worked with Cassidy on a health care bill in the last Congress.</p><p class="p3">“He has experience working in a public hospital (the former Baton Rouge charity hospital), and that gives him a great deal of credibility,” Collins said. “He makes what is a point that everyone needs to be reminded of, and that is that someone eventually is going to pay for the care (of the uninsured).”</p><p class="p3">Cassidy thinks insurers should be allowed to charge older people as much as seven times what they charge youngsters, but would give older citizens seven times the tax credit. He said that would make premiums affordable so that young people would stay in the insurance pool while providing older people enough money to keep health care plans affordable. In order to get Democrats involved in the health care debate, Cassidy said he would like to give states the option to keep most of Obamacare if they like it. He insists there is no long-term solution to the health care problem without bipartisan cooperation. </p><p class="p3">Bloomberg said Cassidy is surprised by how little consideration his colleagues give to the plight of their voters.</p><p class="p3">“I’m thinking. Why were you elected? It’s just the most amazing thing in the world,” Cassidy said. “You were elected to take care of your folks, even if they’re not quite the rules you prefer.”</p><p class="p3">Fellow Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy said of Cassidy, “I’ve known Bill since he got into politics. He’s whip-smart, and as big as his brain is, he’s got an even bigger heart.”</p><p class="p3">Considering legislative failures in his home state, Cassidy deserves extra credit for helping enhance its reputation in Washington, D.C.</p>
