Conrad: It’s Time to Renew Healthcare Debate

The new healthcare law continues to lose support, and now it’s Democrats themselves who are abandoning ship. North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad, chairman of the Budget Committee, says it’s time for Congress to look at the issue again, The Hill reports. He wants to see spending cuts that would reduce the budget deficit.

“The healthcare accounts, we’re spending one of every six dollars in this economy on healthcare. We’re heading to one of every three,” Conrad said. “There have to be further reform and savings in the healthcare accounts.” He says he “personally” favors allowing the secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.

Conrad also has criticized President Barack Obama in recent days for failing to address entitlements in the budget. “If you look at the spending in the federal government, 60 percent of it is entitlements,” he notes.