Challenger calls on Grassley to break health care reform deadlock

A Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful is challenging Sen. Chuck Grassley to break the deadlock over health care reform by agreeing to a public provider option in exchange for increasing the Medicare reimbursement rates for Iowans.

Bob Krause of Fairfield, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Senate in 2010, said Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee could end the deadlock by dropping his opposition to a public option that would compete with private health insurance in exchange for higher Medicare reimbursement for doctors and other health care providers.

Iowa ranks 49

^th

in Medicare reimbursement, Krause said. That makes it hard for the state to attract and retain health care professionals, according to various state officials, including Grassley, who has long advocated for reforms in the reimbursement system.

"This has hurt the quality of medical care in Iowa as some doctors refuse Medicare patients because of the low reimbursement rate," Krause said. "On the flip side, continuing with only private providers for health insurance coverage hurts Iowans because it locks in a monopoly." More than 80 percent of the Iowa health insurance market in Iowa is controlled by just two companies.

A public option would provide competition for the private insurers, Krause said.

Grassley has opposed the public option and prefers health care insurance to be provided by private insurers.

Krause is a former Waterloo state legislator and serves as chairman of the Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus.