January 8, 2010 - Dispatch-Argus

MOLINE -- Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., expects to support the compromise House-Senate health care bill -- provided it is not paid for by taxing the middle class.

The congressman told the Dispatch/Rock Island Argus editorial board on Friday he plans to be briefed early next week on the three-way negotiations between top House, Senate and White House Democrats. They are expected to come up with a final version of health care legislation to be voted on before President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address in February.

"I thought we passed a very good bill out of the House," Rep. Hare said. The bill was then taken up by the Senate, which came up with its own version.

"I'm pretty disappointed in the Senate bill because it dropped the public option and the Medicare buy-in," he said.

"I'm not a take your marbles and go home type of guy. I will support this bill, I believe, after we see the final version," Rep. Hare said.

He said he wants a bill that removes pre-existing condition exclusions; promotes competition between insurance companies; a clause that will not allow insurance companies to drop a person making a claim; and requirement the companies pay claims.

"We also have money in the bill for primary care and nurse loan forgiveness," he said, adding he also wants more medical clinics built and expanded.

Rep. Hare toured 10 hospitals in the 17th Congressional district and asked hospital administrators what percentage of uninsured use the emergency room. The answer, he said, was told about 50 percent.

"This is the most expensive type of health care we have. These clinics will give people a place to go," he said.

Rep. Hare said he realizes the United States will be making people buy health care coverage, but that's a good thing. "There has to be some personal responsibility or people will continue to do what they are doing. I don't think we should continue to pay for someone who refuses to pay for health insurance, because we are paying for it.

"Hopefully, by having more people pay in, costs will come down," he added.

Rep. Hare said he preferred the negotiations between the House, Senate and White House Democrats would include an invitation to Republicans, even if they chose to not attend. He said he does not support the closed-door meetings.

Usually, a House-Senate conference committee is appointed to reconcile differing bills and both parties are involved in the closed-door negotiations.

"I think any bill that is any good should be bipartisan. I think transparency in government is really important," Rep. Hare said.

Rep. Hare said $23.5 million in stimulus funds for the Amtrak train from Chicago to the Quad-Cities likely will be released the week of Jan. 18.

"I think that would be great for our community and it is good news for this area," Rep. Hare said.

He added he would have liked to see more stimulus money come to the district sooner. "That would have meant more jobs. I don't believe it when people say the stimulus bill didn't create or save jobs. That is totally false. But if we had gotten the money out sooner, the feds through the states, more people would be going to work," he said.