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Senate Republican taskforce to deal with nation's uninsured
Nov 4, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, (R-Tenn.) announced last week the formation of a Senate Republican taskforce that will work on the issue of health insurance. Sen. Frist initially announced the formation of a group early in October, but just recently announced the names of Senators appointed to the taskforce.

Lead by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Frist has charged this committee with exploring, evaluating and eventually proposing a variety of recommendations that would deal “head on” with the issue of the uninsured.

As reported earlier by NSBA, the most recent number of uninsured compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau has reached an alarming 43.6 million people. Another study by Towers Perrin, found that companies today are paying two times what they paid in health care costs only six years ago. While no one would dispute the clear issue that skyrocketing health care costs are causing a serious problem, there is great disagreement on the best way to solve that problem.

Sen. Frist urged the taskforce to explore all options, including new and innovative ideas, stating, “[W]e will look at many of the ideas that have been proposed in the past but also reach out and obtain new ideas, creative ideas, ideas we may not yet have thought about or that we haven't addressed in the past.”

The taskforce, headed by Sen. Gregg (R- N.H.), will include Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Olympia Snowe (R-Me.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Don Nickles (R-Okla.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Jim Talent (R-Mo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). Each of whom represents a unique perspective on the health care crisis we are currently facing.

In the months ahead, this taskforce will have to grapple with the many variables that exist in the issue and work to outline real, long-term solutions. The issue of healthcare has prompted contentious debate and strong opinions, “I think the tone of a lot of the debate today on the uninsured has been polarizing,” stated Frist. It is his belief, however, that the group can and will work to develop the real solutions necessary to deal with the increasing ranks of uninsured.

NSBA is hopeful that this newly-formed Senate Republican taskforce on the uninsured will thoroughly evaluate the many existing options, and also put to use their own entrepreneurial skills in seeking new and innovative solutions to this very difficult problem.

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