Four political heavyweights sparred on Wednesday over whether creation of a government-run health care program would drive down skyrocketing costs. But they agreed that some overhaul of the nation's health system would make its way through the Democratic-led Congress.
Republicans Karl Rove, a former top adviser to President George W. Bush, and ex-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist warned that a public health care plan could have a huge price tag and quash private-sector innovation. But former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and one-time Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said a public plan could help bring down costs and insure more Americans. Dean proposed a 10 cent carbon tax on gasoline to pay for the costly overhaul, expected to cost at least $1.2 trillion.
The four debated the virtues of government-run health care at the 2009 BIO International Conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. The faceoff came as the battle over health care heats up in Washington.
Majority Democrats are aiming to bring health care overhaul bills to the floor of the House and Senate by August. It's a priority for President Barack Obama, a promise he made during his campaign.
Rove predicted that if the final bill contained a public health care system "it will pass with little or no Republican support."
I"m for choice," Rove said. "There is no reason you have to have a public plan to have competition and choice."
Frist, a heart surgeon before his election to the U.S. Senate, acknowledged that if the government comes to the table with a public plan it would bring costs down. But he said the bill for taxpayers would eventually swell as companies abandon private coverage for their employees and dump them on the government rolls.
But Dean said the GOP was missing the impact health care reform would have on America's ability to compete in the global marketplace.
"This is a business proposition," he said. "What are we going to do to make American businesses more competitive? Driving down the cost of health care will help."
Daschle said too much is paid on administrative costs in health care plans and any reform needs to look at how "to wring inefficiencies out of the system." He said the trick would be to strike the right balance between public and private coverage. Daschle had once been expected to lead the charge for health care reform in Washington as Obama's choice to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He withdrew from consideration amid questions about unpaid taxes.
Sparks flew at one point Wednesday as Rove jokingly referred to Dean's home state of Vermont as "dinky," smaller than some ranches in his own state of Texas. That led to Dean to chide Rove for years of budget deficits under Bush. Rove countered that Obama was only making matters
worse.
(Associated Press)
Republicans Karl Rove, a former top adviser to President George W. Bush, and ex-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist warned that a public health care plan could have a huge price tag and quash private-sector innovation. But former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and one-time Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said a public plan could help bring down costs and insure more Americans. Dean proposed a 10 cent carbon tax on gasoline to pay for the costly overhaul, expected to cost at least $1.2 trillion.
The four debated the virtues of government-run health care at the 2009 BIO International Conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. The faceoff came as the battle over health care heats up in Washington.
Majority Democrats are aiming to bring health care overhaul bills to the floor of the House and Senate by August. It's a priority for President Barack Obama, a promise he made during his campaign.
Rove predicted that if the final bill contained a public health care system "it will pass with little or no Republican support."
I"m for choice," Rove said. "There is no reason you have to have a public plan to have competition and choice."
Frist, a heart surgeon before his election to the U.S. Senate, acknowledged that if the government comes to the table with a public plan it would bring costs down. But he said the bill for taxpayers would eventually swell as companies abandon private coverage for their employees and dump them on the government rolls.
But Dean said the GOP was missing the impact health care reform would have on America's ability to compete in the global marketplace.
"This is a business proposition," he said. "What are we going to do to make American businesses more competitive? Driving down the cost of health care will help."
Daschle said too much is paid on administrative costs in health care plans and any reform needs to look at how "to wring inefficiencies out of the system." He said the trick would be to strike the right balance between public and private coverage. Daschle had once been expected to lead the charge for health care reform in Washington as Obama's choice to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He withdrew from consideration amid questions about unpaid taxes.
Sparks flew at one point Wednesday as Rove jokingly referred to Dean's home state of Vermont as "dinky," smaller than some ranches in his own state of Texas. That led to Dean to chide Rove for years of budget deficits under Bush. Rove countered that Obama was only making matters
worse.
(Associated Press)
