Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Tex.) today took a shot the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats for supporting healthcare reform that includes a public option.
He tweeted:
It turns out that individuals, both patients and MD’s have too much freedom. And a benevolent White House and Congress want it to change.
Burgess also called out House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chair Pete Stark (D-Calif.) who has been an outspoken proponent of universal healthcare:
And it will be, forgive me the pun, Starkly different. Forget the rhetoric and spin you will hear, this is only about control.
Instead, Burgess touted healthcare measures passed by Republican congresses:
Balanced Budget Act ’97 Medicare part C. in ’97. H.S.A. expansion in ’03
Part D of medicare that same year. Now approx 90% of seniors have credible coverage for Rx’s. Various retailers now sell generic Rx …
But that was all under Republican control of Congress. This next chapter will be written entirely by Democrats.
The four-term congressman has been a consistent critic of the public option proposed by Democrats. He asked President Barack Obama a quesiton via YouTube at his health care town hall last Wednesday. Burgess said the president was only “partially responsive.”
Burgess was an obstetrician/gynecologist before being elected to Congress and sits on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.