By RANDY ROSS
The national health care debate came to Longview on Monday as U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert toured Highland Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Gohmert, R-Tyler, visited briefly with residents on the center's rehabilitation floor while observing some of their exercises. He shook hands with several residents, including 101-year-old Elva Cusick of White Oak, who rotated pedals on top of a small desk to build arm strength .
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert visits with Longview resident Peggy Scarborough during her rehab Monday at Highland Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Longview.
After the visit, Gohmert spoke with the center's leadership staff and some employees about his experience with nursing homes and the raging health care debate.
"You are helping those that need us the most," Gohmert said, adding that his mother stayed in a nursing center in Mount Pleasant after she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. "You make all the difference. You're their lives."
Responding to questions, Gohmert stressed his opposition to the health insurance reform bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. He said many people do not realize the seemingly simple things in the bill that could lead to problems in the future.
"In that bill there is a panel that will review end-of-life options," Gohmert said, also quoting Sarah Palin's reference to "death panels."
Gohmert said he believes everyone should consult with their physician about how they wish to be cared for, but he said it should be something left between a patient and a doctor.
White House officials refer to the idea of a panel encouraging euthanasia as a "malicious myth" on Health Insurance Reform Reality Check, a White House Web site designed to provide information about health care reform. Melody Barnes , director of the Domestic Policy Council, said on the Web site that the argument is a misrepresentation of a provision that would allow Medicare to reimburse doctors for voluntary discussions about living wills.
Gohmert said the bill as written would lead to waits for surgeries and medical care, which would essentially lead to the rationing of health care. On the White House's Web site, Dr. Kavita Pavel , who works with President Barack Obama's administration, argues that rationing occurs under private health insurance and that reform would prevent rationing by allowing people with pre-existing conditions to acquire health care coverage.
Gohmert also said the number of uninsured people listed in statistics is inflated by illegal immigrants who don't have insurance and young people who choose not to get it. Gohmert said the health care proposal would probably cover some of the people who are uninsured, but he said the bill would also force some people to lose their private insurance.
About 5.5 million people in Texas do not have health insurance, according to statistics from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. About 25 percent of uninsured people in Texas are illegal immigrants and some 40 percent of the total uninsured are people between the ages of 18 and 34.
Gohmert said the health insurance industry needs "some kind of reform." He said Medicare is on track to bankrupt the country, but he also argued against the "Draconian" cuts proposed in the health care bill. White House officials have said reform would eliminate some wasteful spending in the Medicare system but would not reduce individual benefits.
Several employees told Gohmert they were opposed to the proposed health care bill.
"We think (the bill is) poorly conceived in its present manner," said Dick Stebbins , a co-owner of the nursing center.
