Day: July 27, 2009

The Blue Dog leader on Health Care is Congressman Mike Ross of Arkansas. He has been arguing that we need to increase Medicare reimbursement rates in rural areas because they are lower in those areas and have to be raised in order to attract good doctors and to keep hospitals open. We share those concern. But like the Blue Dog idea of negotiating reimbursement rates in the public health insurance plan instead of setting them at Medicare rates plus 5%, Rep. Ross’s solution will raise premiums in the public health insurance plan, not just in rural areas but across the country. It will also cripple the public plan and reduce competition for private insurance, which will also raise premiums. And, because higher subsidies will be required for these higher premiums, the cost to the Federal government and, ultimately, taxpayers will be greater. And, at any, rate it’s not totally clear… Continue reading

Five members of Congress from Pennsylvania—Representatives Jason Altmire, Chris Carney, Kathy Dahlkemper, Tim Holden, and Patrick Murphy—are part of the Blue Dog Coalition, whose demands for changes in the Health Care reform bill before the House of Representatives has gained a great of attention in the last week or so. While at least one of those demands might actually improve the bill, others are deadly to the health care reforms we so badly need around the country. Indeed those demands are so deadly for reforms that will very much benefit Pennsylvanians, that it’s time for us start asking our Pennsylvania Blue Dogs, why are you running with this wrong pack? Continue reading