Updated at: 11/19/2009 5:07 PM | KSAX.com
By: Megan Matthews
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Senator Franken Talks Health Care Reform to KSAX

ALEXANDRIA, MINN. - U.S. Senator Al Franken supports the Health Care Reform working its way through the senate, and he stopped by the KSAX studio to discuss the bill.

"I believe that we need to cover everyone.  I think we can bring down the cost of health care," Franken said.

The $1.2 trillion bill would require everyone to have health insurance and help those with lower incomes buy insurance.  Franken says he hears many stories from people in desperate need of insurance.

"We do have people who are uninsured, and they do get care, but they go to emergency rooms, which is the most inefficient care possible in terms of cost," Franken said. He goes on to say covering everyone would prevent this.

"Every other developed country covers everyone, and they do it at much less cost than we do," Franken said. 

He thinks covering everyone is the most efficient way to deliver health care, and if other countries can do this so can the U.S.

"We can do this.  We can cover everyone," Franken said.

The reform includes an insurance reform and a health care reform, according to Franken.  In terms of insurance reform, Franken wants to put those with pre-existing conditions at ease.

"One of the big deals in this bill is saying the insurance companies cannot punish you, cannot deny you coverage for having a pre-existing condition," Franken said.

In terms of cost, Franken says more than half the bankruptcies in this country are caused by health care crisis and many of people going declaring bankruptcy have health insurance.  This happens when the cost of care exceeds the annual cap or the life long cap they have on their insurance. 

"At a certain point the insurance company says 'you're on your own.'  We're going to end that," Franken said.

There is a portion of the bill Franken does not agree with.  The bill brings up the question of abortion stating that the federal government as well as private insurance companies shouldn't be paying for abortions.

"This is an enormous moral issue and injecting this at the last moment...we'll deal with it in the Senate," Franken said. "I'm going to make sure this bill reflects Minnesota values."

Franken hopes the senate passes the bill by early December.

Written for the web by Megan Matthews

megan@ksax.com