HF 3391 - Floor Debate and vote?
Rep. Abeler is speaking making several good points. He said that while much progress was made tonight, this bill has a way to go. He said that there are concerns about the financial aspects of the bills that need to still be addressed.
Rep Gottwalt goes into details on the financial concerns. Rep Kohls mentions the universiality goals in the bill. He mentions that if the benchmarks are not met, individuals could be forced onto health care (98% will be covered by X). He said that the benchmarks have no means of enforcement. He mentions that Rep. Sertich's cry of "where's the Republican plan?" was misleading because the majority kept the minority out of the negotiation process.
Rep. Peppin leads of quoting PJ O'Rourke - if you think healthcare is expensive now...wait until it is free! She then goes on to remind the gathering that MN IS good at providing health care to it's citizens...let's not forget that. Of the 7% who are not insured, half are eligible for EXISTING PROGRAMS. This may be a great idea, but it cut out half the solution - private industry. She then rips into RomneyCare - saying that it is falling apart under the weight of the regulations.
Rep. Erhardt got up next (after a brief announcement from Rep. Sertich on road conditions and conditional lodging allowances) and said that he was uneasy about the wishy-washy letters of recommendation that the author (Rep. Huntley) provided. He said that he would not be comfortable going to a doctor that gave that kind of recommendation.
Rep. Olson got up and asked Rep. Huntley again about the personal clinicial allowance. Rep. Huntley said that staff checked and the personal clinicial was not in other laws impacting health care. Rep. Olson thanked him for the answer and then asked if the commissioner can not reallocate costs, it implies that the commissioner can reallocate other fees. Rep. Huntley said that it would come from savings...Rep Olson clarified and asked where the savings would go? Rep. Huntley talked about more savings. Rep. Olson went back to note the 11 different ways cost shifting is used in this bill even though the authors swear there is no cost shifting in the bill and that the answers he got above were more examples of cost shifting! He said that there IS rationing in the bill and we go home and tell people we provided them with "affordable" health care but at what cost? We need to stop telling them it is free because it is NOT.
Rep. Seifert is up now. He said that repeatedly tonight we were asked "what would the GOP do?" One thing we would do is have had the bill on the floor sooner. We tried to put our plan up in pieces (amendments) which were voted down and in one chunk that was ruled non-germane. What we would have done was to have had a free market system. This is not a free market system. We would reform welfare, we want more INDEPENDENCE and less dependence. We would NOT put Katrina style bureaucrats in charge of the Mayo Clinic and our other hospitals. We would have the government get out of the way of the consumer to allow them to make their own decisions in their care. Rural hospitals are very nervous about this bill. They are politically savvy enough to not come out and say they think the bill is horrible, they are couching their "endorsement" in language that says "I hope you can fix this first". You are going to dump thousands of people into a plan that Rep Huntley admits will be bankrupt by 2012 guaranteeing you will either have to raise rates or dump those thousands of people back OFF of the plan. We want something that is real...real reform...this is not going to do it. They are not going to see any relief out of this bill. They are only going to see people move in here from out of state in order to get benefits. Let's put together a bill that the Governor can sign and we can pass 134-0.
Rep. Huntley got up (I hope he is last...I am ready for sleep) and thanked the staff that has worked on this over the summer, fall and winter. He handed out two editorials both from the Star Tribune that beg that the bill pass. He goes back to the letters of "endorsement" saying that the groups do support this bill.
VOTING - 83 Ayes - 50 Nays the bill passes. Good night folks. Wrap up will post in the morning!
Rep Gottwalt goes into details on the financial concerns. Rep Kohls mentions the universiality goals in the bill. He mentions that if the benchmarks are not met, individuals could be forced onto health care (98% will be covered by X). He said that the benchmarks have no means of enforcement. He mentions that Rep. Sertich's cry of "where's the Republican plan?" was misleading because the majority kept the minority out of the negotiation process.
Rep. Peppin leads of quoting PJ O'Rourke - if you think healthcare is expensive now...wait until it is free! She then goes on to remind the gathering that MN IS good at providing health care to it's citizens...let's not forget that. Of the 7% who are not insured, half are eligible for EXISTING PROGRAMS. This may be a great idea, but it cut out half the solution - private industry. She then rips into RomneyCare - saying that it is falling apart under the weight of the regulations.
Rep. Erhardt got up next (after a brief announcement from Rep. Sertich on road conditions and conditional lodging allowances) and said that he was uneasy about the wishy-washy letters of recommendation that the author (Rep. Huntley) provided. He said that he would not be comfortable going to a doctor that gave that kind of recommendation.
Rep. Olson got up and asked Rep. Huntley again about the personal clinicial allowance. Rep. Huntley said that staff checked and the personal clinicial was not in other laws impacting health care. Rep. Olson thanked him for the answer and then asked if the commissioner can not reallocate costs, it implies that the commissioner can reallocate other fees. Rep. Huntley said that it would come from savings...Rep Olson clarified and asked where the savings would go? Rep. Huntley talked about more savings. Rep. Olson went back to note the 11 different ways cost shifting is used in this bill even though the authors swear there is no cost shifting in the bill and that the answers he got above were more examples of cost shifting! He said that there IS rationing in the bill and we go home and tell people we provided them with "affordable" health care but at what cost? We need to stop telling them it is free because it is NOT.
Rep. Seifert is up now. He said that repeatedly tonight we were asked "what would the GOP do?" One thing we would do is have had the bill on the floor sooner. We tried to put our plan up in pieces (amendments) which were voted down and in one chunk that was ruled non-germane. What we would have done was to have had a free market system. This is not a free market system. We would reform welfare, we want more INDEPENDENCE and less dependence. We would NOT put Katrina style bureaucrats in charge of the Mayo Clinic and our other hospitals. We would have the government get out of the way of the consumer to allow them to make their own decisions in their care. Rural hospitals are very nervous about this bill. They are politically savvy enough to not come out and say they think the bill is horrible, they are couching their "endorsement" in language that says "I hope you can fix this first". You are going to dump thousands of people into a plan that Rep Huntley admits will be bankrupt by 2012 guaranteeing you will either have to raise rates or dump those thousands of people back OFF of the plan. We want something that is real...real reform...this is not going to do it. They are not going to see any relief out of this bill. They are only going to see people move in here from out of state in order to get benefits. Let's put together a bill that the Governor can sign and we can pass 134-0.
Rep. Huntley got up (I hope he is last...I am ready for sleep) and thanked the staff that has worked on this over the summer, fall and winter. He handed out two editorials both from the Star Tribune that beg that the bill pass. He goes back to the letters of "endorsement" saying that the groups do support this bill.
VOTING - 83 Ayes - 50 Nays the bill passes. Good night folks. Wrap up will post in the morning!
Labels: Universal Health Care
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10:28 PM
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