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I write in response to David Hogberg's October 27th column titled "Dr. Russ Feingold on Call." I appreciate Mr. Hogberg's attention to the "State-Based Health Care Reform Act," a bill I introduced earlier this year to try to move beyond the current polarized debate in Congress over health care reform. Our health care system is broken and it's time to fix this serious and growing problem.

Unfortunately, for too long, Congress has been unable -- or unwilling -- to act. I believe that the way to break this deadlock is with a flexible approach that allows states to try innovative ways of expanding health care coverage. Under my bill, a few states, with help from the federal government, could implement very different health care systems â€" including systems that include many of the features that Mr. Hogberg endorses in his article. While I don't agree with Mr. Hogberg that passing on more health care costs to consumers will solve our current problems, the flexibility in my plan is the key to winning the support of a broad range of health care advocates and experts. In fact, this federalist-style approach is based on ideas that have been endorsed by both the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation. I am also working with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to move this idea forward in the 110th Congress.

All Americans deserve access to affordable health care that is at least as good as that available to members of Congress. That is why my plan builds on the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), by allowing states to choose from the same menu of options provided to federal employees. This approach will encourage states to continue finding innovative ways to cover their citizens, and allow Congress to learn from these efforts as it implements broader health care reform.

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