Rep. Nye expresses doubts on health care plans

NORFOLK

It actually happened Wednesday: a civil, bipartisan discourse on health care.

Two local members of Congress - a Democrat and a Republican - sat side by side, politely offering broad principles and predictions.

They emphasized common ground and dodged any opening to snipe at the other party.

The crowd of nearly 100 submitted questions, most in writing, that were sober, substantive.

No outbursts, no tirades.

"This is how it ought to be," one of the participants, Democratic Rep. Glenn Nye, said afterward.

Nye and Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican, spoke Wednesday morning before a gathering of the Eastern Virginia Association of Health Underwriters at the Residence Inn Norfolk Airport.

One of their many points of agreement: substantial doubt about a government option in health care.

"I will consider the notion of a public option," Nye said, "... if it can be set up in such a way that it does not crowd out the private insurance market. That reduces choice, not increases it."

Nye said, "I haven't yet seen a plan that convinces me."

Wittman said, "A government-run option has some inherent problems with it." He said he preferred "allowing insurance to be sold in wider marketplaces and to be sold across state borders."

Nye appeared solo in a later meeting with small-business owners. He reiterated his reservations about a government role, saying a public option should not "enjoy substantial benefits from the government that will crowd out private insurance."

He spoke to about 20 members of the Entrepreneurs' Organization at the Courtyard by Marriott Norfolk Downtown. Some businesspeople there complained to Nye about soaring costs for premiums and prescription drugs.

Kevin Kordek, president of A-Active Termite & Pest Control Co. in Virginia Beach, said one of his prescriptions recently rose from $15 to $147. Premium costs for his company jumped more than 40 percent over the past two years. "Forty-one percent is pretty excessive," Kordek said, "and this is with a healthy group."

Part of the problem, Kordek said, is the fear of "multibillion-dollar class-action suits."

At the earlier session, Nye and Wittman said they were open to "tort reform" to rein in damages from such suits. But Wittman cautioned that it wasn't "the silver bullet. If we just do tort reform, we don't get our arms around it."

The two voiced similar goals in health care reform. Wittman spoke of "controlling costs and making sure we preserve decision-making, and that needs to be between the patient and the provider."

Nye - a member of the Blue Dog wing of moderate and conservative Democrats - said he wanted to cut costs and preserve choice: "I strongly support the notion that every American should be able to choose their own doctor and method of insurance."

He also said a health care bill must not increase the deficit - "We can't keep charging up the national credit card" - and must preserve military benefits.

Neither expressed support for the current version of the House health care bill. Wittman said he had "very deep reservations" about it. Nye told the small-business group: "I'm not convinced the bill right now is in a form that I would be willing to support it."

But both voiced optimism that a compromise ould be reached.

Even when asked to point out differences from each other, they emphasized philosophical similarities. "The differences are probably in the details," Wittman said.

"If you came here today to see partisan dispute, I think you picked the wrong Democrat and the wrong Republican," said Nye, triggering a burst of applause from the insurance group.

Matt Manock, the president of the Hampton Roads branch of the Eastern Virginia Association of Health Underwriters, said the group invited Nye, Wittman and Republican Rep. Randy Forbes, who, he said, had a scheduling conflict.

The association, Manock said, consists mostly of independent insurance agents and brokers.

"It was not a town hall," he said, referring to the public health care forums across the country that have sometimes degenerated into shouting matches, "so that in itself homogenizes the audience a bit."

The requirement to submit written questions also reduced the possibility for shrillness. "That wasn't necessarily to filter the questions," Manock said, "but to minimize people who like to stand up and talk."

But he added: "I credit the congressmen more so than the crowd.... It seems to me they want to be more thoughtful. They're willing to read to slow this up a little bit. That impressed everyone in the room."

At the end of the session, Witt-man thanked the insurance group. Nye added: "I couldn't have said it better."

Then they shook hands.

Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com