Castle Blasts Senate Approach to Health Care “Reform”
Dec 23rd, 2009 by David Anderson
STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN MICHAEL N. CASTLE
Response to the Senate Negotiations of Health Care Reform
Wilmington, Dec 23 -
The negotiated earmarks and exemptions for certain states and businesses, in exchange for a few Senators to vote in favor of the health care reform package, reflects the very worst of Washington. Negotiations, for the most part, were not done in the common good to lower health care costs of Americans, but to protect specific Senators from political liabilities. In many cases, taxpayers will pay a bigger share to cover the costs of the bill, and states will shoulder a higher burden than they would have without the special treatment of the few.
As a former Governor, I know how costly Medicare and Medicaid costs are to state budgets. Exempting certain states while putting an additional burden on the remaining states is simply unacceptable. Every legislator is expected to fight for the interests of their state. However, the basic merits of legislation should be the determining factor. Instead, the focus on lowering the cost of health care insurance coverage and services for all has been neglected in favor of individual state buy-offs. The result of the negotiations are higher Medicare costs for the federal government at a time when we know the current rates are unsustainable.
In the first round of vote buying, Louisiana was given $300 million in federal Medicaid subsidies and Florida was given $5 billion to allow the continuation of Medicare Advantage for those seniors currently enrolled. Meanwhile, seniors in Delaware who enjoy Medicare Advantage will likely not be able to keep it.
In the second round of Senate negotiations, the federal payments for Medicaid costs were increased for Nebraska ($100 million), Vermont ($250 million), Massachusetts ($500 million). Michigan, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and Connecticut hospitals will get more money from the federal government for Medicare than the rest of the country. Blue Cross/Blue Shield will have special fee exemptions under the new health care law in Nebraska and Michigan. And, the University of Connecticut Medical Center was given a $100 million earmark.
Collaboration and compromise with both parties is the best way to produce legislation which appeals to legislators, and voters. We have not seen that approach from this Administration on health care, or any other issue in 2009, and I hope we will see a different approach next year.
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[...] Originally posted here: Castle Blasts Senate Approach to Health Care "Reform" [...]
Rep. Castle is correct, absolutely correct on this one. The Senate’s conduct on this health care bill has been reprehensible (in my opinion impeachable too), and it will be the end of The United States of America if left unchecked.
Well said.
Mike Protack
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While Mr. Castle may be able to pay lip service to the correct position for fiscal conservatives, are we now expected to forget his actual voting record on some very weighty issues ? Cap and trade, TARP, CAFE standards and all of the environmental issues that lead to higher cost to consummers.
Too many voters listen to this type of rhetoric and assume that Mr. Castle will live by these standards, but too often for my liking, he then goes against the very principles he has expounded in such statements. Deeds, not words is what we need at this very desperate time in our nation’s history.
He sent out a release, I will let it rise or fall on its own merit. I agree with Tim that he is right on this one. I agree with Frank that it still leaves other issues unresolved.