Congressman Jim Matheson says federal health care reform not solving all the issues

SALT LAKE CITY — Congressman Jim Matheson, D-Utah, told state lawmakers Thursday the "all or none" conversations surrounding federal health care reform are not contributing to solving its so-called problems.

Matheson told senators the new federal law doesn't solve pressing issues such as rising costs and voiced support of creating a "sustainable" health care system by examining each component of the legislation separately.

"There is no one or two or three items that's going to sustain a future for our health care system," he said, but rather hundreds.

Some of those items, he said, are unnecessary medical treatments and frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits.

Matheson stopped by the House and Senate chambers to take questions from legislators.

In the House, Matheson said the economy is improving despite high unemployment and other "dark clouds" and emphasized the need to "restore a much greater level of fiscal discipline" to the federal government.

Matheson is a co-sponsor of a proposed balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require Congress to balance the books. He said the amendment may pass this year, and then states could vote on ratifying it.

Asked about the chances of Congress acting on immigration, Matheson said the states are putting increasing pressure on Washington. He said both Republican and Democratic leaders have leveraged the issue for political gain for too long.

But to take on immigration, Matheson said, will require a bipartisan effort. "We have to do it together," he said, to a smattering of applause.

Utah's lone Democrat in Congress was questioned in both chambers about the recent surprise shift in federal land policies. He said he plans to talk with the U.S. Department of the Interior. "I was shocked," he said. "I want to know why they've changed."

Matheson said a locally driven process works best in dealing with land issues, but in the current situation "there's a lot of bickering and not much progress."

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