"Bay State seeks fair shake in health bill" by Susan Milligan, Globe Staff | March 12, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s demand to delete “special deals’’ in the health care package would eliminate $500 million in extra Medicaid cash for Massachusetts, but Bay State lawmakers say they are confident the state would recoup that and probably more once negotiations are complete.
Obama, facing an electorate angry over side deals in the massive package, has told congressional leaders to remove them to make the proposal more salable to the public. One of those deals is a Senate provision to reimburse Massachusetts and Vermont for having already expanded Medicaid coverage to a broader base of low-income people.
Related: The Buying Off of Bernie Sanders
And he's supposed to be a socialist?
But Senator John F. Kerry, a key Obama ally in the health care talks, said the White House has given him personal assurances that Massachusetts will not suffer in the final package....
No, only the American taxpayer will.
Denying Massachusetts the extra cash would be a slap to Bay State lawmakers who enjoy a close relationship with the White House. Governor Deval Patrick is a friend of the president’s, and Kerry was critical in shepherding the health care bill in the Senate Finance Committee....
Democratic leaders are considering several strategies to pass comprehensive health care, including having the House pass the Senate-approved bill from late last year, despite objections on the side deals and other provisions. The Senate and House would then pass a companion bill that ameliorates those problems before the first measure takes effect.
Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada and the Senate majority leader, told his GOP counterpart, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, yesterday what had been assumed for weeks: that Democrats will use the budget reconciliation process to get final passage of the companion bill. Such bills require only a majority vote for passage.
Yup, but the bill they are passing was written for 60 shit-pukes, and they can't rewrite it or start over.
The Medicaid issue is a key sticking point in the final negotiations of the companion bill, which Democrats are expected to reveal as soon as today. Lawmakers decided yesterday to adopt the Senate language on health insurance funding of abortion, which is less restrictive than the House-approved version. That decision could cost Democrats votes in the House but would appease lawmakers who back abortion rights and believe other parts of the bill are too conservative....
Pelosi has that under control.
See: Massachusetts Senate Vote Irrelevant
You do want to keep that chairmanship, right, Democrat?
Obama, however, wants to strip the legislation of anything that reeks of the back-door deals that have enraged the public and eroded support for the health care package. While what has been dubbed the “Cornhusker Kickback’’ to give more aid to Nebraska is the most notorious of these items — especially since Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson was a pivotal vote — the money for Massachusetts and Vermont also falls into that category, the White House said. The news website Politico first reported the list of affected states....
Then -- he assures them -- the money will be put back in.
Like being played for a fool, American public?
In its version, the House has approved a far more expensive approach, vastly increasing Medicaid payments to all states to pay for the added burden. Massachusetts would get $460 million a year in 2013 and 2014 and $380 million a year after that, the Kerry aide said. But the senator said the high price tag made it politically and fiscally impossible.
Pfffft!
But BANKRUPTING WARS and BANK BAILOUTS are JUST FINE!
I'd rather have the health care, you PoS!
“I’d love to get it, but you’ve got to deal with what’s real around here,’’ Kerry said.
From a guy living in a taxpayer-funded bubble.
Representative Michael E. Capuano, Democrat of Somerville, said he would consider withholding support for the final package if Massachusetts does not get extra Medicaid money.
“I want to vote yes, but I cannot vote yes if I honestly believe it will hurt Massachusetts in the long run,’’ Capuano said....
I encourage you in that view, Mike. I'm sure Pelosi was taking your vote for granted,
