Rep. Doug Ervin, R-Holt, said there is no reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing health care for businesses when they can buy private insurance for the same amount without a state contribution.
"Just putting something on a computer doesn't save a great deal of money," said Doug Ervin, a Republican state legislator from Holt and former employee of Kansas City-based technology company Cerner. "It's what's in there and how it's being used that saves money."
"At least in terms of having conversations in preparation for the thought we might have a conference committee substitute we could present to the House and the Senate, it was pretty clear when we had those discussions that we weren't going to reach any common ground," said Rep. Doug Ervin, R-Holt.
House bill handler Doug Ervin, R-Holt, said it was unfortunate that the two issues were tied together, but earlier conversations had not seemed promising.
The bill did lose some of its Republican support when an amendment was introduced that the bill floor handler said would reduce transparency. Rep. Doug Ervin, R-Holt, said that consumers need more information about the cost and quality of services provided by health care providers such as hospitals.
Bill handler Doug Ervin said that when the bill lost transparency language relating to the cost and quality of medical services the House had sold out to the Missouri Hospital Association.
The bill lost some Republican support during the process because of an amendment that bill handler Doug Ervin, R-Holt, said would reduce transparency and limit the free market. A minority of Democrats supported the measure. Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D- St. Louis City, stressed the need to pass the bill as a last option. "We can't leave out of this House by the end of the week without a health care bill," said Nasheed.
Two House members say the bill represents a fundamental difference between the two bodies. Rep. Doug Ervin, R-Holt, sponsored his own health care expansion bill that would provide insurance to people who are uninsurable due to outstanding health problems. He said Dempsey's bill covers a population that is cheap to insure because it is proven to be healthier.