Congressman Frank Wolf has represented Virginia since 1981 and is outspoken on the issue of healthcare. Dr. Oz talks with Congressman Wolf about the state of the country and the possibility of solving the nation's healthcare problem.
Congressman Wolf says the government isn't going to make meaningful changes or solve the healthcare problem without a bipartisan approach. "This country is so divided, frankly, we have never been more divided than I think we are at this time, in modern times," Congressman Wolf says. "The war in Iraq has polarized us, a lot of other issues have polarized us. The only solution that is going to work is to come together and work in a bipartisan way."
Using the model of the Iraq Study Group is one way Congressman Wolf says leaders can solve the healthcare problem. The Iraq Study Group, which was tasked with assessing the U.S.-led Iraq war, consisted of an equal number of former Democrats and Republicans, and Congressman Wolf says it was a successful team. If created, a similar team for healthcare could spend a year holding hearings, listening to experts and traveling around the country to talk to the American people for their views, Congressman Wolf says.
A bipartisan effort is easier said than done, but Congressman Wolf says Congress can take small steps toward bipartisan decision making. "Two Republicans and two Democrats sit down, meet with one another and talk with one another and become friends with one another," Congressman Wolf says. From there, Congressman Wolf says politicians will be more likely to reach across the aisle, build bridges between one another and solve the healthcare problem.
