GOP Rep. Nathan Deal Postpones Retirement to Fight Health Bill

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Health Care

(AP)

Georgia Republican Rep. Nathan Deal announced Monday that he would leave Congress on March 8th to focus on running for governor. Today, citing the health care fight, he changed his mind.

"Yesterday, as I listened to President Obama's aggressive push for a quick vote on 'Obama-Care,' it was clear that I must stay in Congress and continue to fight against the most liberal health care agenda ever proposed," Deal said in a statement issued by his gubernatorial campaign.

Had Deal gone through with his retirement, it would have meant House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would need one fewer vote to pass health care, because there would be one fewer house member. (Her magic number would have dropped to 216, with 431 legislators in the House total.) Now, however, she again needs 217 votes to pass a bill.

The White House is pushing for a health care vote by March 18th, while House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says he is hoping for a vote before the March 29 Easter break.

"The big fight is going to be in the House," House Republican Leader John Boehner said on The Lars Larson radio show Thursday, noting that the Senate-passed bill must get through the chamber. "This is where we can stop it now that they've decided to go on this expedited procedure in the Senate."

More Coverage of the Health Care Debate:

Reps. Weiner, Stupak: Senate Should Go First on Health Care
Sebelius: People are "Frightened" by Insurance Rate Hikes
White House Releases Letter From Cancer Patient Natoma Canfield
White House: Health Care Quid Pro Quo Charge "Very Silly"
Obama: Congress Owes America a Vote on Health Care
McConnell to Dems: Vote for Health Care at Your Own Risk
Liberal Groups: Just Get it Done
Special Report: Health Care Reform

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by Dave1-- March 6, 2010 5:06 PM EST: Americans want cheaper health care! We do not want more of the same we REQUIRE a real solution. USA pays almost DOUBLE what Canadians do for health care.

Canada simply removed the private health insurance for profit insurance companies from the health care system and cut the costs of health care by almost one half.

So why would that work you ask? Why have private for profit health insurance have become the MERCHANTS OF MISERY in our health care system?

I think the reason is so simple we tend to overlook it. In order to become Doctors, Doctors take an oath to do good for their patients and not to harm anyone. Essentially Doctors promise not to enrich their pocketbook at the expense of our health. That is not to say Doctors always live up to that oath but private for profit insurance companies never took that oath and in fact do exactly the opposite.

Health insurance companies spend huge amounts of money doing what we do not want them to do. Insurance companies have no business being in the business of deciding our health care system, our health policy, and deciding who gets what medical service and who doesn't!

Health insurance companies are NOT serving our best interests, they are serving theirs!; Reply to this comment


by Mogalog March 6, 2010 6:47 AM EST: You can have a debate back and forth for years on whether health care should be a "right" or not. On one end, if we have the medicine to help someone, isn't it our moral obligation to do so? On the other hand, the more you give people as a "right", the less they are required to work and give back into society. If basic needs (food, shelter, protection from criminals, healthcare, etc)are all covered as "rights" then a person does not NEED to work in order to survive.

However, with healthcare, people are already receiving it as a "right". If you are gravely ill, a hospital is REQUIRED to do what they can for you and if you cannot afford it, they will raise costs on the insured to cover it. Also, those people do not seek that care until an "emergency situation" and therefore it is:
a) MUCH more expensive.
b) Less likely to succeed.
This ends up being bad in BOTH cases. Now even if you do have health insurance, you can max out your health insurance limit. At this point, you won't receive the more successful(and expensive) care any longer. Here you will die of chronic illness or end up losing everything you own in bankruptcy when you cannot afford to pay for various surgeries and months in the hospital.

THAT is the healthcare system we currently have and THAT is why something must be done. President Obama knows there are many problems with the current system and no perfect fix. His proposed bill will do a great deal to repair it. Yes we could prune it to be less wasteful or have fewer "kickbacks" to certain people/groups. These things can be done at a later date after the bill is passed.

While it upsets people who want limited government power, the only institution that has any power to fix this issue is the government. Here is a quick explanation of how the bill can help:

1) People pay into insurance companies for years but are dropped or have their premiums raised when they actually need the care. This practice is an abuse of the insurance design and must be stopped. Companies also cannot be allowed to deny people who need coverage.

2) Insurance companies will go bankrupt under those circumstances unless EVERYONE is required to pay in at ALL times. Otherwise people will just wait until they are sick and then purchase health insurance. This is why there is a mandate to buy insurance.

3) The fact of the matter is some people will simply be unable to afford to buy insurance. But again, they are REQUIRED because of the mandate. So as a bridge between private insurance companies(who still need to profit) and a single-payer government system, the government will provide subsidies to those who cannot afford insurance. Basically, the taxpayers will pay for some/all of the poorer population's insurance. This is a polarizing issue, but in many cases the government is already using taxpayer money to pay for this, but at the inflated costs we currently have. In the end though, everyone should save on health insurance because costs will come down.

4) Now that everyone is paying in, and everyone is being cared for, prices will drop because:
a) Hospitals won't just raise costs on the insured to cover the uninsured.
b) Those with no or poor-quality insurance will now be able to see a physician easier. They will have more regular checkups and will be less likely to procrastinate on seeing a doctor when they become ill. Preventative care is much cheaper than surgeries/long term medicines.
c) Insurance fraud crackdown and hopefully some sort of tort reform should also lower costs.
d) The cost of drugs will lower. As more people are able to receive them, companies will be able to recover the millions they invested in research and turn a profit sooner.
e) Regulation of insurance companies will lower costs as well. Tort reform, for example, won't necessarily lower what insurance companies charge. Just because doctors have to spend less on insurance, and can therefore charge less, insurance companies may just keep those savings as profit. This can actually be the case with anything that lowers the cost on the front end.

Now you can argue that the government shouldn't be so involved in healthcare. There actually are some valid concerns about the future of a "government-run healthcare system". It is important to note that the current bill is in NO WAY a government-run healthcare system. It is a system that has more regulation(to prevent abuses/fraud), helps PRIVATE insurance companies to insure more people, and brings down costs for everyone in the end.

Sorry for the long post and I am sure most people won't read it. I just felt that we don't always get the FACTS about the current healthcare issue and what is actually in the bill. Basically though, you can be against government handouts and fear this bill is too expensive. But truthfully, taxpayers are already paying for the uninsured but at a far higher cost than is needed. This bill will help fix that.; Reply to this comment


by declanjo6 March 6, 2010 1:16 AM EST: Get medical insurance for your entire family at the best price from http://******/atGzeD; Reply to this comment


by rockcutr March 4, 2010 10:10 PM EST: We are talking to the wall when it comes to the republicans. They are so used to getting things their own way and look where it took this country. Put us in the pits. We are no longet the strongest country in the world. China holds the note on our land. Bankers and insurance along with the entire AMA are untouchable. But, people that have worked their entire life paying homage to the government gods, are left hanging to die well before their time. If you kill off all the workers then sooner or later you just may end up having to do the work yourself. That alone should put the Fear of GOD in them. Sweat is scarry.; Reply to this comment


by nearl451 March 4, 2010 10:03 PM EST: Wow what an IMPRESSIVE, valiant, brave man!

Seriously, sounds like gathering of bragging rights for the Governor's race.....he'll probably get back in the race and call his feather "Macaroni".

LOL.; Reply to this comment


by jxknowles March 4, 2010 8:26 PM EST: Mr. Deal,

Please, just retire already. You don't have a snowball's chance of winning the governorship or stopping healthcare. Boehner is a political eunuch. Don't believe a word that liar says.

Your Friend,

jxknowles; Reply to this comment


by Palin_for_Presidentess March 4, 2010 7:50 PM EST: ...or my name ain't Nathan Arizona!; Reply to this comment


by rfp1959 March 4, 2010 6:18 PM EST: Thats very christian of the Repubs to fight against health care reform. I wonder what their lord and savior Jesus Christ would say. I was hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you... let me die. Shame on them.; Reply to this comment