Cassidy takes issue with Obama plan

Sixth District Congressman Bill Cassidy doesn’t like President Barack Obama’s plan for fixing health care. Cassidy, a physician and former state senator who addressed today’s meeting of the Baton Rouge Press Club, says that plan calls for expanding Medicaid coverage to more people at a time most states—including Louisiana—are suffering severe financial problems already in part because of Medicaid commitments. “I don’t see a solution for health care,” says Cassidy, a Republican. “I see a political solution. I do think there are better solutions for health care.” He envisions a modified form of the current Health Savings Accounts that would “wrap around” to cover catastrophic treatment as well as preventative treatment. It’s already being done elsewhere in the country under the moniker “patient-directed health care,” Cassidy says. “In real life people are doing these things that are working to control costs and improve care.” Cassidy will hold a town hall meeting on health care at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the auditorium at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.—Steve Clark