As congress looks to wrap up their year, healthcare packages are at the top of many legislators’ minds – including Speaker Pelosi. In fact, the Lower Health Care Costs Act, is one of those bills that’s being pushed right now. Though coming from a good place, this bill is misguided. It will make the lives of rural Louisianans much worse by taking away their access to emergency services.
That’s why I’m so concerned about the narrow-minded approach many of our lawmakers seem to be taking in their effort to address surprise medical billing. In Louisiana, many people live in rural areas - often far away from the Level 1 trauma centers where lifesaving care takes place. An airlift might seem excessive to some, but it’s the difference between life and death for rural Americans who are injured in an accident, having a heart attack, or experiencing complications in labor and delivery. Otherwise, those patients would have to drive hours to the hospital in situations where every minute counts.
Air ambulance operators make nearly 5,000 lifesaving flights per year in our state. However, despite the fact that so many people need their services, these brave men and women risk being out of a job soon. Air ambulance bases across Louisiana are in danger of closing and in turn costing people lives and livelihoods.
Congress’ solution to this? Federal government price controls that end up allowing insurers to pay even less to these operators. Price controls are not conservative – especially in healthcare. The road to socialism is paved with small tweaks to our economy like this and I think I speak for most conservatives when I say, we don’t need any more socialism in our country’s healthcare. Obamacare was enough for a lifetime! We appreciate Senators Cassidy and Kennedy taking a close look at any surprise billing legislation and work to ensure a solution that preserves access to emergency care.
