Jan 31, 2011 | 3 min read

Reading Between The Lines Of Lamar Smith’s (R-Texas) Press Release

Despite all of the talk before the lesson, it seems like Congressman Smith is back to business with protecting insurance companies. His first committee "top priority" press release:

Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today outlined the Committee’s role in the upcoming debate on the vote to repeal Democrats’ misguided government takeover of health care.

Chairman Smith: “The House Judiciary Committee is committed to ensuring the laws passed by this Congress are constitutional. And we will enact real reforms to make health care more affordable for Americans. Democrats’ government takeover of health care is a violation of the Constitution and common sense. The federal government has never required people to buy any good or service. Yet, ObamaCare mandates that every person purchase health insurance.

“Also, Democrats’ health care plan ignores common sense solutions to skyrocketing health care costs. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 40% of medical malpractice suits filed in the U.S. are ‘without merit.’ The threat of these lawsuits forces doctors to conduct tests and prescribe medicines that are not medically required. The widespread practice of ‘defensive medicine’ drives up the cost of health care.

“The Congressional Budget Office estimates that lawsuit abuse reform would save taxpayers $54 billion over the next decade. This would help American families struggling with health care costs and protect medical personnel who are overburdened by the cost of malpractice insurance.”

Chairman Smith announced that the House Judiciary Committee will convene hearings to examine the constitutional concerns surrounding ObamaCare and the role medical malpractice reform can play in reducing health care costs.

What does it really say?

Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today outlined the Committee’s role in the upcoming debate on the vote to repeal Democrats’ misguided government takeover of health care.

Chairman Smith: “The House Judiciary Committee is committed to ensuring the laws passed by this Congress are constitutional. (unless you read the whole Constitution , we don’t mean the 7th amendment) And we will enact real reforms ( although in the past when we have been in charge we never touched the issue) to make health care more affordable for Americans. Democrats’ government takeover of health care is a violation of the Constitution and common sense. The federal government has never required people to buy any good or service. (actually, there are a lot of things that the government mandate, but that doesn’t help the point) Yet, ObamaCare mandates that every person purchase health insurance. (actually, it doesn’t, but again hyperbole is the point)

“Also, Democrats’ health care plan ignores common sense solutions to skyrocketing health care costs. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 40% of medical malpractice suits filed in the U.S. are ‘without merit.’ ( if you define cases as worth less then 100,000 and you don’t count all of the cases that settle) The threat of these lawsuits forces doctors to conduct tests and prescribe medicines that are not medically required. ( so we do support fraud by doctors if they are doing it for the right reasons) The widespread practice of ‘defensive medicine’ drives up the cost of health care. (even though the numbers says it doesn’t)

“The Congressional Budget Office estimates that lawsuit abuse reform would save taxpayers $54 billion over the next decade. ( which is the same CBO that says the present law will save money and that there are much better ways to save money) This would help American families struggling with health care costs and protect medical personnel who are overburdened by the cost of malpractice insurance.” (unless those American’s want to bring a claim or look for protection under the 7th Amendment)

Chairman Smith announced that the House Judiciary Committee will convene hearings to examine the constitutional concerns surrounding ObamaCare and the role medical malpractice reform (bold added to point out the hypocrisy) can play in reducing health care costs (eliminating State’s rights, hiding those responsible from liability, and making sure the Insurance companies bring in more campaign contributions)

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Mike Bryant

Managing Partner , Bradshaw & Bryant PLLC
(800) 770-7008

A founding partner with Bradshaw & Bryant, Mike Bryant has always fought to find justice for his clients—knowing that legal troubles, both personal injury and criminal, can be devastating for a family. Voted a Top 40 Personal Injury "Super Lawyer" multiple years, Mr. Bryant has also been voted one of the Top 100 Minnesota "Super Lawyers" four times.