Luechtefeld: Health care reform will remake America into a socialist society

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-Collinsville) held a media teleconference on the health care bill expected to be voted on by the U.S. House of Representatives Friday.

Shimkus and Illinois state legislators are concerned that dramatic expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the proposed health care reform would further burden the already overextended state budget.

Appearing with Shimkus at the teleconference was state Senator David Luechtefeld (R-Okawville) of the 58th District, which includes Randolph County.

Luechtefeld said the number of physicians in Illinois who would refuse to accept Medicaid patients since reimbursements to doctors and hospitals is considerably less than the true cost of medical care.

"If those doctors aren't taking new patients, it really limits who your doctors will be," he said.

The proposed health care overhaul "really does change America," Luechtefeld said. "It's going more to a European, socialistic society. And honestly I don't believe Americans want to go there."