OUR OTHER TOP STORY THIS HOUR IS
THE RISING COST OF HEALTHCARE,
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
VOWING TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST
SOARING DRUG PRICES.
SOME REPUBLICAN SENATORS ARE
LOOKING TO TACKLE THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT CADILLAC TAX, IT'S
CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO GO INTO
EFFECT IN 2022, THREATENS
MILLIONS OF MIDDLE CLASS
FAMILIES WITH HIGH COST HEALTH
INSURANCE PLANS.
THE NEXT GUEST WILL INTRODUCE
LEGISLATION TODAY TO PERMANENTLY
REPEAL IT.
JOINING US NOW IS SOUTH DAKOTA
SENATOR, MIKE ROUND SENATOR,
GOOD TO SIGH.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>>
MARIA: DO YOU HAVE ANY REACTION
TO WHAT TOOK PLACE IN TOKYO WITH
CARLOS GHOSN?
>> WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN
FOLLOWING THAT AS AN IMMEDIATE
STORY RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ISSUES
SURROUNDING NORTH KOREA AND ALSO
WITH REGARD TO -- WHAT'S GOING
ON RIGHT NOW WITH THE EMERGENCY
POWERS AN SO FORTH THE PRESIDENT
HAS EXERCISED.
THOSE ARE THE ITEMS KEEPING US
BUSY.
MARIA: I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
THAT.
I KNOW THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT
HE'S GOING TO VETO THAT IN TERMS
OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY
OUTRAGE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR HEALTHCARE
BILL AND THE CADILLAC TAX.
TELL US THE IMPACT OF THAT
CADILLAC TAX AND WHY YOU WANT TO
REPEAL IT.
>> IF WE DON'T REPEAL IT, IT
ACTUALLY GOES INTO EFFECT IN
2022 AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A
PRESIDENT THAT I THINK WOULD
WORK WITH US ON IT.
WE'RE NOT SURE IF THAT WILL
HAPPEN AFTER 2020, SO LET'S NOT
TAKE ANY CHANCES.
THE IDEA IS ANYTHING OVER
$11,100 THAT AN EMPLOYER PAY
WOULDS BE SUBJECT TO A 40% TAX
AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S NOT AN
EXORBITANT AMOUNT COMPARED TO
WHAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS BACK
WHEN OBAMACARE WAS PASSED IN
2009, 2010.
WHAT WE'VE GOT IS THIS THREAT OF
A TAX OF 40% ON ANYTHING OVER
$11,100 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR
$29,750 FOR A FAMILY PLAN.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT
HAPPEN.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAY
TOSS REDUCE THE COST OF
HEALTHCARE, NOT INCREASE THE
COST OF HEALTHCARE.
THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL
OBAMACARE PRODUCT OR THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND IT'S
TIME TO FINALLY NOT JUST DEFER
IT BUT TO GET RID OF IT ENTIRELY
AND THAT WOULD BE ONE MORE
SECTION OF A REPEALED PRODUCT
THAT FAILED.
DAGEN: SENSE TORQUES IT'S DAGEN
McDOWELL.
THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT
THE UNIONS WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF,
NO?
BECAUSE AGAIN, UNION MEMBERS
HAVE IN MANY CASES VERY GENEROUS
HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS AND
THIS TAX WOULD HIT THOSE
HEALTHCARE PLANS.
>> YEAH, THEY REALLY DIDN'T LIKE
IT TO BEGIN WITH.
DAGEN: RIGHT.
>> BUT NONETHELESS, NOW IT'S NOT
JUST FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT
THOUGHT THEY HAD REALLY GOOD
PLANS.
THINK ABOUT THE LOGIC OF THIS.
WHY IN THE WORLD IF AN EMPLOYER
IS OFFERING GOOD, HIGH QUALITY
HEALTHCARE, WOULD YOU WANT TO
TAX IT EVEN MORE AND TO TRY TO
SLOW DOWN THAT PROGRESS INTO
HIGH QUALITY CARE PRODUCTS?
WHAT THEY LOOKED AT WAS AND SAID
GEE, THEY MIGHT BE INCLUDING
THINGS IN THERE THAT MIGHT BE
CONSIDERED LUCKS
CONSIDERED LUXKS
CONSIDERED LUXURIOUS IN NATURE
LIKE TAKING CARE OF LOW
DEDUCTIBLES AND SO FORTH.
TODAY MOST AMERICANS WOULD SAY
I'LL TAKE A PLAN WITH SOME
NORMAL DEDUCTIBLES OR LOW
DEDUCTABLE AS OPPOSED TO THE
$3,000 AND $5,000 DEDUCTIBLES IN
MOST PLANS TODAY.
DAGEN: FACE INJECTIONS I GET
ARE NOT COVERED BY OUR INSURANCE
PLANS TO EVERYBODY CAN RELAX.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
DAGEN: THANK YOU, SENATOR.
THANK YOU.
[ LAUGHTER ]
DAGEN: FOR YOUR KINDS IN.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I FIND
FASCINATING ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE
DEBATE, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
FOCUSED ON PHARMACEUTICAL
PRICING AND NOT AS MUCH -- THAT
SEEMS TO BE THE CANDY TOPIC.
THE HEALTH INSURANCE THAT'S
BEING PROVIDED, EVERY YEAR
PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE IT'S
GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE AND YOU
LOOK AT THE GREEN NEW DEAL,
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOLISHING
A WHOLE INDUSTRY OF INSURANCE
AND REALLY DEMONIZING THE
PRIVATE INSURANCE SECTOR WHEN
IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT FACTOR.
HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AND TRY TO BALANCE
OUT THE DEMONIZATION OF THE
HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY VERSUS
I'M TRYING TO GET PEOPLE
HEALTHCARE THAT THEY FEEL THAT
EVERYBODY DESERVES NOW.
>> LOOK, THE IDEA BEHIND PRIVATE
HEALTH INSURANCE WAS TO HAVE
COMPETITION, HAVE DIFFERENT
COMPANIES OFFERING DIFFERENT
APPROACHES, MORE COMPETITIVE
RATES OR DEALS THAT THEY'VE BEEN
ABLE TO MAKE WITH HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS.
OVER THE YEARS, IT ACTUALLY HAS
SERVED US VERY WELL.
THE CHALLENGES COME IN WHEN YOU
COMPARE WITH WHAT THE
ALTERNATIVES ARE.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ANY KIND
OF A GOVERNMENT-RUN OPERATION,
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT INDIAN
HEALTH SERVICE AS AN EXAMPLE,
NOBODY SHOULD EVER WANT TO HAVE
THEIR HEALTHCARE PUT TOGETHER BY
AN OPERATION SUCH AS INDIAN
HEALTH.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE DAMAGES WE'VE
SEEN THROUGH THE V.A. AND THE
LACK OF ATTENTION THE V.A. HAS
HAD AND THE INEFFICIENCIES YOU
SEE THERE.
WE WOULD LIKE A GOOD, HEALTHY,
COMPETITIVE MARKET.
I WAS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH DAKOTA
FOR EIGHT YEARS.
WHEN WE CAME IN, WE HAD A
HEALTHCARE CRISIS.
WE WORKED ON TRYING TO BRING IN
MORE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP PLANS.
IN 2009, BEFORE OBAMACARE CAME
IN, WE HAD 17 COMPANIES OFFERING
GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE, 13
COMPANIES OFFERING INDIVIDUAL
HEALTHCARE.
WE WERE COMPETITIVE.
BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE PAID
ATTENTION TO WHAT WE WERE DOING
AND WE ALLOWED THE MARKET TO
KIND OF WORK ITSELF THROUGH AND
ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE
FROM ONE PLAN TO ANOTHER.
WE HAD GUARANTEED RENEWAL
PROVISIONS BUILT INTO THOSE
PLANS BEFORE OBAMACARE WAS EVER
ON THE SCENE.
>> ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, JUST A
FOLLOW-UP ON THAT, A LOT OF
PEOPLE INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE
KINDS OF PROGRAMS LIKE THE V.A.
YOU'RE LOOKING, LOOK AT
MEDICARE, THEY THINK MY
GRANDPARENTS ARE ABLE TO GO TO
THE DOCTOR ALL THE TIME AND IT'S
COVERED.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE THAT KIND
OF ACCESS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN UNDER THE NEW PLANS.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO
FOLKS?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THE ASSUMPTION THAT MEDICARE IS
NOT A SUBSIDIZED PRODUCT IS
WRONG.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, EVERYBODY ELSE
WITH PRIVATE INSURANCE IS PAYING
MORE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT
LIMITS WHAT THEY PAY HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS UNDER MEDICARE AND
UNDER MEDICAID, BOTH OF WHICH
ARE REDUCED PAYMENTS TO
PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS.
THEY MAKE THAT UP BY CHARGING
EVERYBODY ELSE A LITTLE BIT
MORE.
>> YEAH.
>> IF TAU
>> IF YAU
>> IF YOU TAKE AWAY THAT PRIVATE
SECTOR AND EVERYBODY STOPS
PAYING IN, THE DISCOUNTS GO AWAY
AND THE PRICE FOR EVERYBODY GOES
UP.
YOU ALSO LOSE THE COMPETITIVE
EDGE.
YOU DON'T FIND DOCTORS AND
HOSPITAL ORGANIZATIONS COMPETING
FOR THE BUSINESS WHICH THEY DO
RIGHT NOW IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
TODAY.
MARIA: WE KNOW THE MEDICARE FOR
ALL MEANS P WIPING OUT THE
ENTIRE PRIVATE INSURANCE
INDUSTRY AS WELL.
BEFORE YOU GO, SENATOR, GOT TO
GOAL YOUR TAKE
GOAL GOUR TAKE
GOAL GETR TAKE
GOAL GET YTAKE
GOAL GET YOUKE
GOAL GET YOURE
GOAL GET YOUR TAKE ON THE
NATIONAL EMERGENCY OUTRAGE.
THE SENATE IS GOING TO VOTE ON
THE RESOLUTION.
HOW WILL YOU VOTE IN TERMS OF
THE PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY
DECLARATION?
>> I WILL SUPPORT THE
PRESIDENT'S POSITION.
I DO BELIEVE THAT UNDER OUR
EXISTING FRAMEWORK HE HAS THE
AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE WHAT AN
EMERGENCY IS.
MARIA: OKAY.
>> I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH HIM.
HE HAS AN EMERGENCY.
YOU HAVE 76,000 PEOPLE THAT
ENTERED THE COUNTRY OR TRIED TO
GET INTO THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY
LAST MONTH ALONE.
MARIA: FEBRUARY ALONE.
YOU HAVE FOUR COLLEAGUES,
REPUBLICAN SENATORS SIGNALING
THEY WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS
DECLARATION, PAVING THE WAY FOR
DEMOCRATS TO POTENTIALLY SECURE
ENOUGH VOTES TO BLOCK THE
MEASURE AND IT WILL HEAD TO THE
PRESIDENT'S DESK AND HE WILL
VETO IT.
>> THE CONCERN ITCH GOT
>> THE CONCERN I'VH GOT
>> THE CONCERN I'VE GOT AFTER
THAT OCCURS, THE HOUSE CONTROLS
THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS, HE'S
TAKING A COUPLE FUNDS THAT HE'S
IDENTIFIED, HE DOESN'T NEED THE
EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR.
HE CAN TAKE THEM OUT OF A DRUG
FUND IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
AND HE CAN DIRECTLY ACCESS A
SEPARATE FUND WITHOUT EVER
TOUCHING THE EMERGENCY FUNDS.
THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THE FUNDS
THAT'S IMPACTED BY HIS
DECLARATION OF THE EMERGENCY.
MY CONCERN IS THAT DEMOCRATS
WILL PROBABLY TRY TO LIMIT IN
FUTURE APPROPRIATION BILLS HIS
ABILITY TO ACCESS SOME OF THOSE
FUNDS AND THAT'S WHERE THE REAL
BATTLE'S GOING TO BE.
MARIA: THAT'S A GOOD POINT,
ACTUALLY.
SENATOR, GOOD TO HAVE YOU.