Late 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
Posts Tagged ‘Rick Larsen’
Representatives going against the grain in House healthcare reform vote
Monday, November 9th, 2009Representative Rick Larsen supports public option in new House health bill
Thursday, November 5th, 2009Below is a statement from Representative Rick Larsen’s (D-2nd) Chief of Staff Kim Johnston, received via email by The Bellingham Herald:
After reading the section of the bill containing the public option, Rep. Larsen has come to the conclusion that he supports the public option in this bill. This new public option will work for Washington state. In the original bill (H.R. 3200) payment rates in the public option would have been based on Medicare, which would have shortchanged Washington state. But the payment rates in this new public option (H.R. 3962) will be negotiated between doctors and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This will ensure that doctors and hospitals are paid closer to market rates. Paying doctors fair market rates will ensure that they are able to accept patients covered by the public plan.
Rep. Larsen has also said that he believes any public option must compete under a “level playing field” with the private health insurance market. The public option in this bill will do just that: it will be subject to the same rules that private insurance plans are subject to, and it will not be subsidized by the government.
Representative Larsen previously stated he was likely to support the bill, but wanted to read it before making further comments.
Four Snohomish County representatives support public option
Monday, November 2nd, 2009Last week, four Snohomish County representatives, Marko Liias (WA-21st), John McCoy (WA-38th), Mary Helen Roberts (WA-21st) and Mike Sells (WA-34st), wrote a letter of support for a public option in healthcare reform to Unites States Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd).
“We write to express our enthusiastic support for the inclusion of a strong public option in the health care reform bill presently being debated in the House. As state legislators, we would be remiss if we did not voice our opinions on the current debate,” the letter states. “A strong public option is a critical fallback for the many different groups that would be covered under the reform plan.”
They go on to say, “The implementation of a strong public option would create incentives for insurance companies to charge competitive rates and become more efficient. Lower prices and better efficiency would benefit everyone, including those that presently have health insurance. In addition, the competition created by a strong public option would incentivize insurance plans to focus more on primary care and preventative medicine, leading to improved health outcomes and better care.”
Representative Larsen responds to introduction of new House healthcare bill
Thursday, October 29th, 2009Today, Representative Rick Larsen of Washington’s 2nd Congressional district made this statement about the new House health reform bill:
After an initial review of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, I am pleased to see that many of the principles I support have been included in the bill.
I have been fighting to make sure the health care reform bill includes a fair deal for Washington state. Specifically, I have been pushing to protect access to health care for Washington state patients by ensuring that Washington state is rewarded, not penalized, for providing high-quality, low-cost patient care.
This bill includes language to fix the long-standing Medicare reimbursement problems that have hurt access to health care in Washington state.
I am also pleased that this bill bans discrimination for pre-existing conditions, age and gender. It is just plain unacceptable to deny an individual coverage, or charge them through the roof, because of their age or gender, or because they have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes or cancer.
The bill will protect people’s choice of doctors and health plans, and will expand access to quality, affordable health insurance options. And the bill includes a public option that works for Washington state.
This bill also appears to be a good deal for our seniors. It will improve Medicare benefits, strengthen the solvency of the Medicare program, and close the “doughnut hole” in the Medicare Prescription Drug Program.
I plan to read and examine every page of this bill over the next week prior to taking this vote. I encourage my constituents to read this bill and contact my office to voice their opinions before the House takes this vote next week.
Everett Clinic opposes Public Option
Friday, October 23rd, 2009Yesterday, Everett Clinic CEO Richard Cooper wrote this letter to Representative Jay Inslee. The letter also went to Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Representative Rick Larsen.
Dear Representative Inslee:
We are writing to express our opposition to the “Public Option” proposal that is currently being considered in the U.S. House of Representatives. We are very concerned that the “Public Option” would pay the same rates as Medicare. Our experience is that Medicare rates are not sufficient to cover the costs of providing care.
As you know, Medicare pays less in Washington than it pays in other states. Providers in our state are penalized because we deliver care more efficiently.
The Everett Clinic cares for more than 28,000 Medicare patients and we just completed an independent review of our Medicare finances. Under the original Medicare fee-for-service model, we lose $464 per patient each year. This year we are projecting a loss of approximately $11.7 million treating Medicare patients. With anticipated growth in the Medicare population, it is estimated that the loss will grow to $70 million over the next five years. If these same rates are also applied to a segment of our private insurance customers, it will have a devastating effect on our bottom line and our ability to care for patients.
Under the current system, the commercial insurers in our state subsidize Medicare payments by up to 40 percent. This subsidy is essential for us continue to care for our Medicare patients. If in addition payments for private pay patients are lowered to the level currently paid for Medicare patients in Washington, the entire healthcare financing system in our state will be permanently damaged. Patients will find it difficult to access care as providers struggle to keep their doors open.
As you are aware, The Everett Clinic, along with others in our area, have received national recognition for providing high-quality, low-cost care. We believe there are ways to improve healthcare that do not involve a radical overhaul of the entire healthcare system. Instead, there should be a concerted effort to implement proven measures that will reduce costs while improving care.
Thank you for the opportunity to share our views. We look forward to discussing this issue further at your earliest convenience.
Richard H. Cooper
Chief Executive Officer
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.