Chamber health care forum series begins with panel discussion

Dr. Todd Stewart and his opposition to more government interference in health care is expected to be just one element of an Oct. 8 health care forum sponsored by the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The forum will be held at Baldor Electric Co., and is a free event for chamber members. (RSVPs are required to Casey Maxey, at [email protected].)

Jason Green, vice president of human resources at Fort Smith-based Baldor and chairman of the chamber’s health care council, will moderate a panel discussion that includes Stewart, a physician at Westark Diagnostic Clinic; Rep. Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith; Dr. Chris Hardin, also with Westark Diagnostic Clinic; Bob Ridgeway, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield; and Sylvester Smith, the Arkansas head of the National Federation of Independent Business.

The chamber press release said the forum will be the first in a series on the topic of health care reform, and noted that “Access to quality, affordable health care and the future of the system are concerns for any business person.”

Pennartz said her focus will be to stress to those attending the forum that “there are miles to go” before a clear federal reform plan is put forth. She said people still have time to get involved.

“The input at the local and state levels does have influence. I hope they (forum attendees) get a clear understanding of the process because it’s important, I think, for everyone to have input,” Pennartz explained.

The NFIB input is clear, according to Smith: “We won’t debate that it’s (reform) needed, but we will fight any mandates that are passed on to small business owners.”

Smith said an example of a mandate is a plan that forces a small business owner to offer health care insurance or pay a hefty penalty to the IRS.

Stewart said the problems in the Fort Smith area “boil down to a generalized physician shortage” on a national scale He argues that most of the problems — to include excessive costs, the physician shortage and access — stem from a federal government-induced separation of supply from demand in the health care sector.

“The problems are expected when that (health care costs) are dictated more by government plans than (the marketplace),” Stewart explained. (Link here for Stewart’s recent guest commentary on The City Wire.)