Congressional Democrats have health insurance reform bills in the House and Senate. Republicans have an alternative House bill, and Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina has proposed his own plan.

There are actually common principles in these plans that are interdependent. While there are disagreements as to how to achieve these common principles, the principles themselves should provide focus for a more rational debate on health insurance reform that all parties, including The S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce, agree we must have.

Principle One: Reform insurance regulations. No one supports the following insurance company practices: Denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions; canceling policies citing technicalities after policyholders start having expensive treatments; putting restrictive caps on benefits, causing tremendous financial burdens to insured families; punishing small businesses with unaffordable high premiums when an employee has a pre-existing condition or has had a serious medical claim.

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