Scott: Health reform needed, cost of inaction ‘expensive’

By Todd DeFeo / (c) 2010

SMYRNA – Because of what he deems “crushing health care costs,” American businesses “are losing their ability to compete in the global marketplace,” according to U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Ga.

“To do nothing is expensive,” Scott said Friday in response to this reporter’s inquiry. “Growth in annual health insurance costs is outstripping average wage increases. “I will vote to get a handle on health care costs, expand the private insurance marketplace for small businesses and the uninsured, stop insurance companies for denying coverage for pre-existing coverage and shore up Medicare services,” Scott said.

The House is slated to vote Sunday on the health care reform bill.

Nationally, 55 percent of Americans oppose the legislation compared to 35 percent who favor the proposed changes, according to a Fox News poll.

Meanwhile, not everyone is thrilled with the prospect of Scott’s vote. As of about 6:45 p.m. Friday, two of three comments to a post on Scott’s blog titled “The Cost of Doing Nothing is Expensive” opposed the Congressman’s plan to vote in favor of the health care bill.

“The reform of our health insurance process should not be decided by a simple ‘doing nothing vs. doing something’, when the doing something is WORSE than doing nothing,” one person posted. “Changing the health insurance process does not have to mean a further government takeover of healthcare, and certainly not adding all student loans to government control either!”

Also, on Friday, Scott’s office declined to say whether the Congressman has read the bill or intended to do so before voting.