In the first press event since the passage of the House health bill, H.R. 3962, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi joined Congressmen Jim McDermott (WA-7) and Jay Inslee (WA-1) at Seattle’s Swedish Medical Center. That bill passed 220-215 in the House on Saturday.
“It’s important that we would come here, to Swedish, on the first public hearing for many of us since this legislation passed,” said Pelosi. “I say appropriate because Swedish has been in the lead, and what is being said here is nothing to be taken for granted. When we’re talking about admiration among healthcare professionals… when we’re talking about a Medical Home, when we’re talking about reducing infections, Swedish has been in the lead.”
The press event was not without disruption, though both were minor. A woman tried to enter the press briefing while McDermott spoke, shouting, “I have Stage 4 kidney cancer – arrest me!” At the end of the conference, a man shouted to Pelosi, “Please don’t send me to jail for not buying health insurance.”
Both were in reference to the health insurance mandate that is part of the bill. Pelosi responded to a question about the mandate, saying, “Well, the point is that we want to make sure people have access to healthcare.”
When pressed, she continued, “I think the legislation is very fair in this respect. It gives people an opportunity to have healthcare, access to quality healthcare. If they can’t afford it, it provides subsidies for them to do so. But do you think it’s fair if somebody says, I’m just not going to have any if I get sick and I’ll just go to the emergency room and hand the bill to [taxpayers]?”
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Posts Tagged ‘Brian Baird’
Speaker Pelosi joins McDermott and Inslee at Swedish in Seattle
Monday, November 9th, 2009Representatives going against the grain in House healthcare reform vote
Monday, November 9th, 2009Late Saturday night the House voted to approve H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, by a narrow margin of 220-215.
One Republican, Representative Joseph Cao (R-LA), voted for the bill, and 39 Democrats voted against the bill.
Cao cited his conscience as the reason for his vote. “Twenty percent of the people in my district are uninsured and we have tremendous health care issues in the district,” Cao said.
Representative Brian Baird (D), of Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, voted against the bill. “Until more information is available on premium estimates and Medicare impacts, I will vote against the legislation in its current form. I will wait to make a decision on final legislation until this critical information becomes available and when the House and Senate together produce one bill,” Baird said.
Here is how the rest of Washington Congressional Delegation voted:
1st: Jay Inslee (D) — Voted Yes
2nd: Rick Larsen (D) — Voted Yes
3rd: Brian Baird (D) — Voted No
4th: Doc Hastings (R) — Voted No
5th: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) — Voted No
6th: Norm Dicks (D) — Voted Yes
7th: Jim McDermott (D) — Voted Yes
8th: Dave Reichert (R) — Voted No
9th: Adam Smith (D) — Voted Yes
Congressman Brian Baird Town Hall Video
Thursday, September 10th, 2009On August 31st, Congressman Brian Baird of Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, held a healthcare town hall at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia, Washington.
Dude, seriously.
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009More totally out of line stuff from the town hall circuit. This time it comes from Washington State’s own Rep. Brian Baird. Thanks to HA for bringing us the link.
Washington Representatives threaten no vote on healthcare reform until Medicare reimbursement inequities addressed
Friday, July 24th, 2009Read the letter from Washington State Representatives Rick Larsen, Norm Dicks, Brian Baird, Adam Smith, and several more from around the country here: Click Here to download the letter.
In the above letter to the House leadership, several Washington State representatives and others from around the country suggest they will not vote for a healthcare reform package unless Medicare reimbursements inequities are addressed.
Physicians’ groups have been pushing to correct inequities in reimbursement rates in numerous government healthcare programs, and the MediFair Act, sponsored by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, is an attempt at reaching that goal.
Due to lower reimbursement rates many Washington State physicians have struggled financially to provide healthcare for the Medicare patients they have or to accept new Medicare lives into their care.
With additional resources, Washington physicians can reinvest in patient care. This includes funding chronic care registries and health record banking that would have pronounced beneficial effects on healthcare delivery.
Washington physicians would receive about $1200 more per beneficiary if Washington State Medicare reimbursement rates were increased to the national average. Statewide, it represents an increase of over $1 billion.
Proponents of balancing the Medicare reimbursement rates suggest the current system is not the most effective path toward providing the highest quality patient care for patients in Washington State.