Posted by BEN BEAUMONT – Congressman Mike Ross (D-Ark.), leader of the “Blue Dog” Democratic coalition in the House of Representatives, discussed health care reform today with more than 40 Clinton School students.
Students asked questions related to a number of issues in the health care debate including doctor shortages, cost cutting policies, health education, tort reform and the need for a public plan to compete with private insurers.
Ross said he believed true reform could be without a public plan and advocated for policies such as eliminating coverage exclusions for pre-existing conditions and providing an insurance exchange for uninsured Americans
“We don’t have to give (insurance companies) competition to reform them,” Ross said.
As leader of the Blue Dogs, Ross has been at the center of the health care debate in the House where he said he successfully lobbied for measures to cut costs in draft legislation.
Ross said final legislation would likely be a compromise between views of conservatives and liberals.
“At the end of the day, I think the liberals will be screaming and saying that we didn’t do enough and conservatives will be screaming and say that we did too much,” he said.
Video of Ross’ session with the students will be posted soon at www.clintonschoolspeakers.com. CLICK HERE for coverage of the event from the Associated Press.
U.S. Rep. Mike Ross takes a question from Clinton School student Mahmoud Mahmoud of New Jersey.