Rep. Burton Reacts To 'The Massachusetts Message'

See Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN-05) speak on the House floor and on Fox Business Network's Cavuto show about the Massachusetts Senate election and the future of the Democrat Majority's health care legislation. 

VIDEO CLIPS:

1/19 - From the House floor as Massachusetts polls were closing:

1/20 - Reaction to the election results from the House floor (clip featured on local news stations across the country last night):

1/20 - Discussion on Fox Business with Neil Cavuto about the future of the Democrats' government-run health care legislation in the wake of Senator-elect Brown's victory:

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Saturday, October 17 (Open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.)

CARMEL TOWN HALL MEETING
2:30 p.m. (Doors open at 2:00 p.m.)
Carmel Middle School Auditorium
300 South Guilford Road
Carmel, IN 46032

NOBLESVILLE TOWN HALL MEETING
9:30 a.m. (Doors open at 9:15 a.m.)
Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds
Hamilton County Exhibition Center, Hall A
2003 Pleasant Street
Noblesville, IN 46060

PERU, Ind. -- Howard Slack didn't speak out when the federal government bailed out the financial industry, when it stepped in to rescue automakers or when the economic stimulus bill passed.

But after looking at the health-care reform proposals House lawmakers are considering, the 56-year-old computer programmer attended his first town hall meeting Thursday to say enough is enough.
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"The recent bills just have me infuriated at every one of these things that the government is trying to take over," he said at the forum conducted by GOP Rep. Dan Burton. "I feel like this is just the one bill that would totally tip us over the edge."

Read more from The Indianapolis Star here

The Indianapolis Star shares that both parties have different numbers for the uninsured. In this article, Congressman Burton explains what he thinks are the real reasons health care costs are high and why people go uninsured.  Read the full article here.

But a group of House conservatives has introduced a bill -- it has 27 backers, including Burton and Rep. Mark Souder, R-Fort Wayne -- that would rely primarily on tax incentives to expand health coverage to those who don't get it through an employer.

...Republicans get big applause at town hall meetings when they call for reducing health-care costs by changing medical malpractice laws.

"In most states, doctors are paying huge amounts for malpractice insurance because they're scared to death of a claim," Burton said. "They will perform tests to make sure that they've done everything to cover themselves in case they are sued."

If the government limits malpractice awards, health-care costs could be cut by about 25 percent, since doctors' fees make up 25 percent to 30 percent of health-care spending, Burton said. But that's based on an assumption that almost all of the fees a doctor charges come from potentially unnecessary tests aimed at avoiding a lawsuit.

Nancy Bender reports Congressman Burton's stance on government run health care in the Tribune Staff Writer.

There’s no doubt the current United States health care system needs to be improved, but a government-controlled health plan is not the answer, said U.S. Representative Dan Burton during Thursday afternoon’s Town Hall meeting in the Peru High School auditorium.

The Fifth-District representative addressed about 400 area residents during the session, stating the health plan bill proposed by Democrats would result in bureaucrats controlling the health care for individuals. Burton said a proposed health plan bill he is cosponsoring would enhance consumer protections and force insurance companies to compete for each individual’s business.

During the 90-minute session, Burton discussed the differences between the Democrats’ proposed plan n H.R. 3200 n and the bill he’s cosponsoring n H.R. 3400, titled the “Empowering Patients First Act.”

For more details, see the Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, edition of the Peru Tribune.