The UW Madison College Republicans hosted a health care panel discussion Tuesday in response to the current bills moving forward at the federal level.
The health care reform bill, recently passed in the House, is currently in the Senate where Democrats are attempting to pass their own version of the bill.
Tuesday's panelists spoke to the potential impact such bills might have on students, the insurance industry and health-care delivery.
Jon Sender, director of Federal Relations and Strategic Communications for UW Health, speaking solely on his own behalf, said the current delivery system of health care was unsustainable and costs were growing at an unacceptable pace.
Sender said the government must find a way to cut spending on health care in the future.
Although some audience members said they worried such cuts may lead to rationing, Sender said the health-care system is not limitless and there are already restraints on who can receive certain services.
""Rationing occurs every single day in our health-care system,"" he said.
Terri Courtney, who works with the Wisconsin Association of Health Underwriters, defended the insurance industry, saying they pay out 85 cents of every dollar they take in.
She also questioned the claim that there are 47 million uninsured persons in America, citing that most of the uninsured choose to be that way.
""The real number of uninsured is probably closer to 18 million people,"" Courtney said.
When asked about a mandate requiring all uninsured people obtain insurance, a provision included in several proposals, Courtney said that it would help spread costs and control prices.
""Health insurance becomes affordable if everyone is in the pool,"" she said. ""The risk is spread across more bodies.""
