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Health care reform

Senator Judd Gregg on Health Care Reform: Opposing Illegal Immigrant Insurance and Emphasizing Private Sector Solutions

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Senator Judd Gregg, a Republican from New Hampshire, appeared on MSNBC's "The Contessa Brewer" on September 30, 2009, to discuss the health care reform bill and his opposition to health insurance for illegal immigrants. Gregg emphasized the need for a comprehensive, bipartisan approach that focuses on private sector solutions and fiscally responsible measures to control healthcare costs. He also expressed concerns about the potential for a public option and single-payer system.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator Judd Gregg opposes health insurance for illegal immigrants, stating that American taxpayers should not pay for their healthcare costs.
  • Gregg believes that illegal immigrants should return to their countries and apply for legal immigration status, rather than receiving health insurance.
  • Gregg supports a comprehensive, bipartisan approach to healthcare reform that focuses on private sector solutions, such as the Bennett-Wyden bill (also known as the Wyden-Bennett bill).
  • Gregg's proposal, CPR, aims to cover everyone in a fiscally responsible manner, control out-year costs, and prevent the government from getting between individuals and their doctors.
  • The CPR plan has three parts: requiring catastrophic insurance coverage, providing cash incentives for prevention and healthy lifestyles, and addressing disease drivers such as obesity and Alzheimer's.
  • Gregg predicts that the public option will still be included in the final healthcare bill, despite the Finance Committee's vote down on Chuck Schumer's and Senator Rockefeller's amendments.

Statistics:

  • 6 days of discussion in the Senate Finance Committee (at the time of the interview)
  • 2 amendments proposing a public option voted down by the Senate Finance Committee (Chuck Schumer's and Senator Rockefeller's)
  • 50% of the House Democratic Party members supporting a government plan (predicted by Senator Gregg)
  • 2 bills proposed by Senator Judd Gregg: Bennett-Wyden bill (Wyden-Bennett bill) and CPR (none specific statistics mentioned)

Sources:

  • MSNBC's "The Contessa Brewer" interview with Senator Judd Gregg on September 30, 2009
  • Federal News Service, Inc.
  • Federal News Service, Inc. website: www.fednews.com
  • Copyright 2009 by Federal News Service, Inc.

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