Senate Democrats hang hopes for state Medicaid money on Maine Republican votes

Aug 5 2010

On Wednesday morning, the Senate took up a state aid package, which includes Medicaid assistance. What follows are summaries of the news coverage in advance of a vote scheduled to begin at 10:40 a.m. 

Politico: Senate Democratic leaders are looking to Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a bid to approve $16 billion in extra Medicaid money for states. Democrats say they need only one Republican vote to pass the proposal. "The $26.1 billion package will likely rise or fall on the vote of Maine Republican [Collins] but the spending cuts are also a big part of the story as Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tries to unite his caucus and take away the 'deficit and debt' arguments of the GOP."

A new score by the Congressional Budget Office says that the revised total package, which includes education funds, "would more than pay for itself, even reducing future deficits by $1.37 billion over the next decade. ...  
The White House has reached out to Collins, who appeared open to backing at least the Medicaid funds but leery of being the only Republican vote in this partisan climate" (Rogers, 8/3).

The Associated Press: The Medicaid proposal is "less generous than the help provided under the stimulus law but is still desperately sought by governors, who have already made big budget cuts as tax revenues have plummeted in the recession — and warn of even worse cuts if the federal help is not continued. 'We've made bitter choices,' said Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat. 'In the last three years Pennsylvania has raised more than a billion dollars in new revenue and we've cut spending by over $3.5 billion.' ... Obama requested an extension of additional aid for the Medicaid program in his budget and has belatedly rallied behind the money for teachers as well" (Taylor, 8/4).

The Washington Independent: On a conference call Thursday, Rendell was joined by Gov. Bill Ritter, D-Colo., and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to urge passage. "Without the bill, states would be forced to lay off tens of thousands of workers in the next few months. States will cut firefighters, services for the elderly and services for the disabled, Boxer said. Patients using Medicaid will pay higher co-pays. Fewer doctors will accept Medicaid patients, eventually increasing emergency-room use." Ritter said: "Our fiscal year started July 1. If this [legislation] does not happen in the next few days, it's likely I'll have to present a [new] balanced budget [to the legislature.] That means making $200 million in cuts immediately" (Lowrey, 8/3).

Kaiser Health News' Mary Agnes Carey reports in "Health On The Hill" that if the proposal doesn't get passed soon, it is likely to be come back after Labor Day. "I think it's going to be a constant part of the discussion. I mean we have seen governors come to Washington, Democratic governors, Republican governors saying our budget started July 1st, we need this money," Carey said. "Several states have already included it in their budgets, and so you can continue the drum beat, the pressure from the governors to do this, and of course if it isn't done before they adjourn for the elections, they being Congress, we could certainly see this in a lame duck session this fall," Carey said (8/3).

The Hill: The measure "is paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes that allow U.S.-based multinational companies to use foreign tax credits to reduce their U.S. taxes. The measure also rescinds about previously appropriated money and cuts future food stamp benefits." Reid said: "This amendment meets every test Republicans claim to be concerned about. They have no more excuses, and tomorrow, they will have a choice: lay off teachers weeks before the new school year starts and fire the first responders who keep us safe, or help these workers keep their jobs and help our economy recover" (Needham, 8/3).