Senate Dems Vote To Keep Backroom Deals

54 Democrats Voted To Keep The Special Deals In Health Reconciliation Bill.
(McCain Amendment #3570, Roll Call Vote #65, Motion To Table Agreed To 54-43: R 0-40; D 52-3; I 2-0, 3/24/10)

ROCKY TOP VOTE SWAP
Full Medicaid Disproportionate Share Payment (DSH) For Tennessee. “EXTENSION OF DSH ALLOTMENT.—Section 1923(f)(6)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-4(f)(6)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(v) ALLOTMENT FOR 2D, 3RD, AND 4TH QUARTERS OF FISCAL YEAR 2012 AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013.—Notwithstanding the table set forth in paragraph (2): ‘‘(I) 2D, 3RD, AND 4TH QUARTERS OF FISCAL YEAR 2012.—In the case of a State that has a DSH allotment of $0 for the 2d, 3rd, and 4^th quarters of fiscal year 2012, the DSH allotment shall be $47,200,000 for such quarters. ‘‘(II) FISCAL YEAR 2013.—In the case of a State that has a DSH allotment of $0 for fiscal year 2013, the DSH allotment shall be $53,100,000 for such fiscal year.’’” (“Amendment In The Nature Of A Substitute To H.R. 4872,” 3/18/2010, P. 67)

LOUISIANA PURCHASE
“Obama’s New Health Care Proposal Keeps Louisiana Medicaid Provision.” (“Obama’s New Health Care Proposal Keeps Louisiana Medicaid Provision,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, 2/22/10)

“Obama's Plan Is Silent On Two Other High-Profile Legislative Deals In The Senate Bill. The First Provision Sends $300 Million In Additional Medicaid Funding To Louisiana And Was Widely Viewed As A Sweetener To Win Moderate Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's Vote Last Fall.” (“Deals Remain In Obama’s Plan,” Politico, 2/22/10)

“…There Are Controversial Special Provisions Of The Senate Health Reform Bill That President Obama Leaves Untouched. First Up, The ‘Louisiana Purchase.’ … [Sen. Mary] Landrieu Said In A Speech On The Senate Floor Feb. 4th That Critics Should ‘Shut Their Mouth.’” (“White House Cuts Special Help For Nebraska, But Other Deals Remain In Reform Bill,” ABC News, 2/22/10)

“And Reid Already Has Established A Dangerous Precedent, By Dangling $300 Million In Medicaid Funding For Louisiana To Win Landrieu's Support For Bringing The Bill To The Senate Floor. Months Earlier, Reid Had Carved Out His Own Medicaid Exemption For Nevada. One addition he made to the Senate bill, an increase in the Medicare payroll tax for high earners, has raised concerns with Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (Maine). Snowe, the only Republican who has been at least somewhat supportive of Democratic reform efforts, cited its potential to harm small businesses.” (“Reid's Recipe For Getting Health-Care Deal Done,” The Washington Post, 12/4/09)

U-CON
“There Is Also Not Specific Mention In The President’s List Of Fix-It, Of A Special Proposal Aimed At A Connecticut Research Hospital, But Open To Other Hospitals... So Those Provisions Apparently Still Remain.” (“White House Cuts Special Help For Nebraska, But Other Deals Remain In Reform Bill,” ABC News, 2/22/10)

$100,000,000 For “Health Care Facility” “At A Public Research University In The United States That Contains A State’s Sole Public Academic Medical And Dental School.” “(a) APPROPRIATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated, and there are appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, to remain available for obligation until September 30, 2011, to be used for debt service on, or direct construction or renovation of, a health care facility that provides research, inpatient tertiary care, or outpatient clinical services. Such facility shall be affiliated with an academic health center at a public research university in the United States that contains a State’s sole public academic medical and dental school.” (Manager’s Amendment To H.R. 3590, Pg. 328)

MONTANA
“The Secretary Shall Establish A Pilot Program In Accordance With This Subsection To Provide Innovative Approaches To Furnishing Comprehensive, Coordinated, And Cost-Effective Care Under This Title To Individuals Described In Paragraph … [An Individual] Is An Environmental Exposure Affected Individual Described In Subsection (E)(2) Who Resides In Or Around The Geographic Area Subject To An Emergency Declaration Made As Of June 17, 2009.” ‘‘(A) PRIMARY PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish a pilot program in accordance with this subsection to provide innovative approaches to furnishing comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective care under this title to individuals described in paragraph (2)(A). … ‘‘(2) INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED.—For purposes of paragraph (1), an individual described in this paragraph is an individual who enrolls in part B, submits to the Secretary an application to participate in the applicable pilot program under this subsection, and— ‘‘(A) is an environmental exposure affected individual described in subsection (e)(2) who resides in or around the geographic area subject to an emergency declaration made as of June 17, 2009.” (Manager’s Amendment To H.R. 3590, Pg. 195-196)

“On June 17, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Issued A Public Health Emergency (PHE) Finding At The Libby Asbestos Superfund Site In Northwest Montana. Over The Past Several Years, Hundreds Of Cases Of Asbestos-Related Disease Have Been Documented In The Communities Of Libby And Nearby Troy.” (EPA Website, Accessed 12/19/09)

“Another Provision The President Has Asked Reid To Consider Removing Was Promoted By Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) On Behalf Of Residents Of Libby, Mont.” (“Obama Presses Reid To Cut Special Deals From Health Bill,” Politico, 3/11/10)

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Tags: government health care, backroom deals, US Senate, Congress,
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