Beaumont Enterprise
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Donor gives $10K in hope of sit-down.
Med exec says he wants to talk to Cruz about what’s really wrong with health care.
Sen. Ted Cruz has raised more Southeast money than all other presidential candidates combined, but not all of his local donors made contributions in the name of helping Cruz move into the White House.
James Holly, chief executive of Southeast Texas Medical Associates, said he and his wife contributed $10,800 to the Cruz campaign in an effort to buy time with the candidate and have a substantiative conversation on what really ails the health-care industry.
“I gave you that money because I want you to be willing to listen,” Holly said he told Cruz after making the maximum-allowed contribution to the president’s campaign committee. “I applauded a lot of what you said, but the one thing I did not applaud was your comments about health care. They reflect that you, like so many people, do not understand health care. ... Not that you’ll do what I say, but will you listen to me, one time, talk about health care?”
Holly said he hasn’t gotten the requested sit-down with Cruz or top advisers.
Cruz, who once attempted to shut down the federal government in an effort to defund President Obama’s signature health care law, has said he would repeal the Affordable Care Act if elect.
“I have made repeal of this disastrous law a top priority since the first day I arrived in the Senate and have made its repeal central to my campaign,” Cruz said in June. “Any candidate not willing to do the same - and campaign on it every day - should step aside.”
Rivals have said Cruz does not have a plan to replace the law.
Holly said Cruz could be a “great” president if he wins, but that the senator is not his first choice.
Holly wanted to share the message that he believes in universal health care but feels the Affordable Care Act does nothing to control rising costs of care, which are reflected in insurance premiums.
He said the federal government should keep track of doctors who too frequently order procedures - knowing that private and government insurers will pay the bills - and penalize them.
The Affordable Care Act is not a problem - or solution - in the way Republicans and Democrats frame it, said Holly, noting that he believes access to health care is a civil right.
“The Affordable Care Act is a problem because it does nothing to control the cost of health care and does little to improve the quality of health care, “Holly said.
Holly said he thinks his health-care beliefs are too nuanced to condense into stump speeches designed to excite listeners.
“I think Ted Cruz would make a good president, maybe a great president,” Holly said. “I was hoping to be able to sit down with him and his key advisers and talk to them about health care. Unfortunately, what I really think about health care ... it does not fit into the (political) narrative.”
By: Eric Besson
EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com
Twitter.com/EricBesson_news
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