Ensign says he’ll offer health care bill

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., says he's working up his own version of health care reform.

On Tuesday Ensign said current proposals are too costly and that he intends to introduce his own health care bill.

"It is still very much a work in progress," Ensign said of the bill he says will have at least four co-sponsors, whom he wouldn't identify.

Ensign says his version of health reform will include incentives for people to quit smoking, never start smoking, minimize body fat and otherwise maintain a healthy lifestyle.

He contrasted the effort with current proposed reforms he says will be too costly.

"We cannot afford any of the bills that have been presented so far," Ensign said during an event to dedicate the new Clark County Shooting Park. "A government-run plan is not going to lower costs unless you ration care. We need to have people lowering costs to health care by healthier choices."

Ensign spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher said there would be more specifics later.

"We are still in the process of drafting the bill so we don't have details to give yet. We are hoping to introduce something by mid-September," she said.

Ensign wouldn't answer questions about an extramarital affair with a former employee that he confessed to earlier this summer. The affair with former employee Cindy Hampton, wife of Doug Hampton, another former employee, has sidetracked Ensign's once-ascendant political career.

Subsequent to the affair, Ensign's parents paid the Hampton family $96,000 in cash, described as gifts.

Ensign said Tuesday he's not going to answer affair-related questions and instead will focus on health care, the economy and other issues.

"Those are the kinds of issues that people around here want to talk about," Ensign said. "That is what I am hearing about all over the state."

Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.