Congressman Brian Baird congratulated Cowlitz County on Tuesday on its civil approach to the debate over national health care reform during a telephone town hall forum.

After two weeks of turmoil over health care, Baird said last week’s town hall at the Cowlitz County Expo Center, attended by about 800 people, stood out for its “productive and constructive discussion.”

“In 11 years, I think it’s one of the best town halls we’ve ever had,” he said. “It really deserved national coverage because it was a model of how people can have a constructive discussion.”

Tuesday’s phone conference, which included 2,000 participants from Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties, also was calm.

One woman — callers were not required to give names — said she was injured two years ago and pays more than $900 a month out of pocket for medical care.

“It’s just totally draining us dry,” she said. “It’s really hard on us.”

Baird said the health care reform bill awaiting House action would prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions and would increase competition, bringing prices down.

People, he said, shouldn’t have to worry that they’ll pay massive expenses should they become unemployed and their employers no longer contribute to their health plans.

“In the richest country on earth, we shouldn’t have people fearing that if they lose their jobs they won’t have adequate health care,” he said.

Another caller said he has “traditionally been against the government competing against private industry.” But he said, “I’ve changed my mind on this public (health insurance) option.”

Insurance companies “are increasingly taking more (profits) out and putting less in for medical costs,” the man said. “We clearly need the public option to counteract that.”

Baird has not endorsed the House bill, and emphasized that government-run insurance would only be an option for consumers, not a mandate. If the program is created, he said, it could negotiate with providers to bring prices down.

When a woman from Kalama asked if the health care bill would cover illegal immigrants, Baird said the bill is “absolutely clear” that undocumented residents would not be covered. He also said he wanted to strengthen the bill to prevent abuse of the system.

Another caller wanted to know how the government would pay for health care reform.

“I was raised in a family that you did not spend money you did not have,” she said. “And this country for many, many years has greatly ignored that.”

She noted that the government has borrowed massive amounts of money from other countries and that “if they called in those loans, we’d be toast.”

Health care reform will be paid for with increased taxes on those earning more than $300,000 as well as curbing costs by placing efficiencies in the system, Baird said. The bill also would tax larger employers who don’t offer health insurance.

(According to the Congressional Budget Office, the House health reform bill would put the federal government $239 billion deeper in the red after 10 years, largely because of a provision to avert a major cut in what Medicare pays doctors. Democrats have pledged to find other money to offset that cost.)

“This bill I hope will be fully paid for, or we shouldn’t pass it,” Baird said.

Baird will continue to host town halls throughout this week and next, including one Sept. 1 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Ilwaco High School Auditorium.

Related article:

About 800 grill Baird on health care  (Aug. 20)