Sen. Mike Johanns said Thursday he's inclined to consider government subsidies to reduce health insurance costs for Americans in need.

A proposal to "buy down the cost" of insurance premiums and deductibles ought to be on the table as one of the alternatives in health care reform, Johanns said.

That idea translates into a government subsidy of some nature tied to income, the Republican senator said during a media event at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln.

Johanns had just completed a private roundtable discussion at the hospital about health care reform.

Rob and Jen Hultquist, who live on a farm near Minden and participated in the forum, said their 8-year-old son, Nathan, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor six years ago.

Their insurance premiums and deductibles have soared as total medical costs mounted to $700,000 to $800,000, the Hultquists said.

But they don't support a government health care system, Rob Hultquist said, because it might have "impeded treatment" for Nathan by restricting or rationing care.

Their son, a second grader, is "a miracle child," Jen Hultquist said.

Treatment with growth hormones now costs $25,000 to $30,000 a year, they said.

Their insurance premiums have jumped from $190 a month six years ago to $700, and their insurance deductible has climbed from $2,000 to $5,700.

The "buy down" proposal for health care reform could help the Hultquists, Johanns said.

He said he does not support the proposal for a government insurance option contained in the health care reform package championed this week by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn.

Congress should take the time required to craft a reasonable bipartisan plan rather than engage in "a raw battle to see who gets the votes," Johanns said.

He has scheduled a series of eight roundtable meetings in Omaha and Lincoln this week to discuss health care reform.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com.