At a peaceful town hall meeting in Columbus Thursday, Sixth District Congressman Mike Pence told the crowd they should have more insurance options, just not a public one.
Pence admitted so far the free market has failed to provide such choices and will fail to do so without some kind of health care reform.
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Pence says he wants health care access that mirrors the model followed by the car insurance industry where coverage can cross state lines. But unlike car insurance, which is required by law if someone owns a vehicle, Pence says citizens should not be required to purchase health insurance if they choose to live in America.
"As a limited government conservative, I'm not very fond of mandates. I really believe that a large portion of the 47 million working uninsured would like to have health insurance. They just can't find health insurance today that's affordable. The government doesn't need to mandate insurance if it's affordable," Pence said
But Max Lindley of Columbus says the free market approach advocated by Pence so far hasn't worked and will not work unless Congress enacts reforms.
"Their record is far too much profit. Our Medicare program operates on three percent administrative cost versus over 20 percent for the for-profits. In certain groups they feel that free enterprise is going to be the only solution. When health care should be a right not a privilege," Lindley said.
Nancy Nyers says health care legislation currently under consideration isn't actually about providing insurance to the country's 47 estimated million uninsured.
"This administration doesn't care anything about taking care of people as far as giving them good health care. They want control. They want control over our lives. And if they can get this health care bill and get control over our health care, they will have control over our lives. They can tell us what to eat. They can tell us what activities we have to be involved in. They can indoctrinate our children more than they already have. It's a scary thing," she said.
Pence and the rest of Indiana's congressional delegation returns from recess following Labor Day.
