John Culberson – U.S. House of Representatives

Reform of the nation’s healthcare system was the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s campaign platform.  Since taking office the President has shown in his words and action that passage of meaningful health reform legislation is his main domestic policy priority and that he expects the Congress to pass such a bill no later than the fall of this year.  President Obama’s goals of providing health insurance coverage for the more than 45 million residents currently without coverage and reducing the cost of coverage for the nearly 300 million insured are ambitious but appropriately focused goals.  Given significant Democratic majorities in both the US Senate and House, the President knows well that the dynamics have not been more favorable for passage of significant reform in the 16 years since the first year of the Clinton Administration.

Two Senate and three House committees have spent many months trying to develop a bill capable of accomplishing the twin goals of covering more people and reducing costs.  The lawmakers are finding that this is incredibly complicated work and is capable of eliciting considerable emotion among not only their colleagues, but especially among the millions of constituents potentially impacted by components of congressional reform proposals currently being debated.  Deadlines the President and Democratic Congressional Leadership initially set for passage of these bills have been repeatedly pushed back, further evidencing the complexity of the subject matter.  I believe this additional time is welcome, as it is allowing more time for debate of issues, solicitation of input from stakeholders and constituents, and for light to shine on the 1000-plus page legislative proposals available to date.

As the chief executive officer of the largest non-profit healthcare system in Houston, serving our community through 11 hospitals as well as a vast network of affiliated physicians, specialty programs and services, I see much of what is right about our healthcare system.  I also see where there are significant opportunities for improvement.  Success in operating a hospital system, as with any business, demands never being satisfied with the status quo.  At Memorial Hermann, we are constantly challenging one another to do all we can do to provide the best care possible, save more lives, and to improve clinical outcomes.  This means tirelessly looking for better ways to diagnose and treat patients, and to maximize the potential of the latest available technologies.  We serve a community which represents a microcosm of the critical issues Congress ought to address, for example:

•    One in three residents of the Houston region currently has no health insurance.   Any contemplated cuts in Medicaid and Medicare, without being indexed to meaningful increases in additional coverage of the most vulnerable patient populations would be disastrous to physicians and hospitals.

•    Many undocumented residents live and work here, have no insurance coverage, yet become sick or are injured and come to us for care, often through our already crowded emergency rooms.

•    Investment in education and research has spawned incredible technological advancements, clinical breakthroughs and innovation.  Reductions in graduate medical education (GME) funds would jeopardize these programs and drastically reduce our healthcare workforce.

I am on record as saying our health system is broken and it needs transformational change.  This needed change must lower healthcare costs, improve access, and improve the health of the American people.  We must get it right!  I encourage the Obama Administration and Democratic leadership in Congress to obtain significant input from all members of Congress, and especially from health care providers that best understand the impacts of the recommended solutions.  The health reform solutions must not add to the already high federal deficit.  Although these are lofty goals, they can be achieved through a thoughtful, inclusive process that requires all parties to sacrifice a little for the overall good of a reformed health system.

In addition to Congressman John Culberson, who represents our Memorial Hermann Hospital, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research) facilities in the Texas Medical Center, the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System is proud to be represented by many members of our Texas congressional delegation, Democrats and Republicans alike, and appreciate the unwavering support the delegation has provided over many decades.  As debate of federal healthcare reform proposals continues, we will continue to work with delegation members of both parties to educate them about the potential impacts to our system, and we applaud their outreach to our system, and their commitment to telling our story to colleagues and members of the congressional leadership from other states.

To readers of this issue of Congressman Culberson’s website, I encourage you to take advantage of the August congressional recess to become better educated about federal healthcare reform proposals, engage the congressman and his colleagues, and attend one of the many healthcare town hall meetings and other forums which will continue to take place throughout the region, until the Congress returns to work in our Nation’s Capitol after Labor Day.

View Dan Wolterman’s bio