Perry speaks against health care reform

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The day after Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, formally announced her entry into the gubernatorial race, Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, held a press conference on Obama's health care reform plan. When asked about Hutchison's attacks against his leadership, he simply called the race a choice between "Texas and Washington."

"If Washington-style answers are the solution, my instinct is that Texans are going to say, 'Thanks, but no thanks,'" Perry said.

On the health care front, Perry brought in doctors and members of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to speak out against Obama's health care reform plan.

"Once again, the Federal government is bearing down on the states, preparing to take greater control through mandates, trampling innovation through runaway costs," said Perry.

The TPPF also released a report, showing what the foundation believes would be the negative consequences of the health care reform package on Texans.

"Current proposals based on President Obama's policies would worsen the system, increase costs, further escalate medical price inflation and add more than $285 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years," said Donna Arduin, a senior fellow with TPPF.

A cardiologist also spoke at the press conference, saying the bill would force doctors' offices to close down.

"We are concerned with any proposal that comes between us and our patients, because any interference could come with less timely, lower quality health care," said Dr. Stanley Wang with Austin Health.

The Center for Public Policy Priorities also showed up at the meeting as an alternative voice to the criticism. The group claims that the bill would insure 4.2 million uninsured U.S. citizens in Texas. The group said the bill provides major benefits to Texans from every walk of life.