Connecticut Joins Other States In Supporting Health Care Reform Despite Missouri Vote
by Jane Bradley | Aug 9, 2010 4:00am
(8) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Congress, Health Care, State Capitol
In a largely symbolic vote that will no doubt be challenged in court, primary voters who went to the polls in Missouri last week overwhelmingly approved a proposition blocking a new federal law requiring uninsured individuals to purchase health insurance.
Despite the Missouri voters’ rejection of a key element of the nation’s health care overhaul, most state legislatures are working to implement the federal health reform law, according to the nonpartisan political organization Progressive States Network.
Calling the referendum in Missouri an “anti-mandate” vote, Nathan Newman, executive director of Progressive States Network, said last week that low turnout and a high number of Republican primary voters explained the defeat of the so-called Obamacare plan in the Show-Me state. Nationally, Republicans seized on the vote as proof that Americans want the federal health care law overturned.
While some state attorneys general have challenged the insurance mandate as unconstitutional, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in June denied a request from 12 Republican state senators to join a multi-state lawsuit challenging the federal health care law.
“Many states, including conservative states, have declined to oppose the federal law,” Newman said, adding that the group will file an amicus brief in support of the federal government in a lawsuit being brought by Virginia’s Attorney General to nullify the health care law.
In June, Connecticut became the first state to permanently add low-income adults to its Medicaid program under the new federal law. The law permits states to receive federal funding for providing Medicaid coverage to adults. According to Blumenthal, Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s decision to apply for federal funding to transfer low-income adults from the state rolls to the federally funded Medicaid program played a central role in his refusal to join a lawsuit against the federal law.
“While right wing attorneys general claim to have the support of the public in their efforts to nullify the reforms enacted under the health care law, the evidence in recent polls is clear: people overwhelmingly support the provisions of the law and oppose efforts to repeal things like the ban on denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions, tax credits for small businesses, the closing of the Medicare donut hole, and the addition of children up to age 26 to their parent’s health care policies,” said Newman.
Defying attempts by conservatives to nullify the new federal health care overhaul, 26 states have failed to pass anti-health care bills amid growing support for the new health care law from legislators in states across the nation.
“We’re turning away from legislation toward implementation of health care reform,” said Iowa State Sen. Jack Hatch, who chairs the White House Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform. “We’re coordinating with advocacy groups around the country and challenging the right-wing attacks.”
“Although there has been a lot of rhetoric by Gov. Rick Perry and the Attorney General, now the law has passed we need to move the politics aside,” said Texas State Rep. Garnet Coleman, noting that Texans reject the idea of “kicking people off the rolls” when they have a serious illness like cancer. “Texas has six million uninsured people, the most uninsured children and the most underinsured in the nation. Without this law there would be no reform.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius acknowledges that many people are confused about the new law, which provides subsidies for lower-income Americans to obtain coverage through Medicaid or health insurance exchanges. “The notion that somehow people, even if they can’t afford coverage, are going to have to buy coverage, that’s just not accurate.”
Although states will be required to provide Medicaid coverage to all low-income adults starting in 2014, the federal government will reimburse 60 percent of the cost of care for individuals enrolled right away. The transfer of 45,000 individuals from the State Administered General Assistance program (SAGA) to Medicaid is expected to save Connecticut $53 million over the next 15 months. Rell has also agreed to administer a federally funded high-risk insurance pool for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.
Beyond extending health care coverage to the uninsured, cost-cutting measures in the newly enacted federal legislation are projected to improve the fiscal outlook for Medicare, ensuring that its trust fund will remain solvent until 2029.
Tags: health care, connecticut, legislature, federal health reform, Blumenthal, Rell
(8) Comments
posted by: CT Jim | August 9, 2010 8:30am
Goatee,
can you let us all know where these republican pick ups are going to be because most think your full of doo with your so-called reality.
Just to debunk a little here in California where they presently have a republican governor it looks like Jery Brown will win this seat inspite of Meg Whittmans $250 million.
So thats a 2 member swing bringing your number to 6 now in CT Foley loses big to either Dem in that race in spite of his spending which would be another dem pickup bringing your number down to 4 and seeing that most other races are pretty tight it could be zero or a net loss for r’s.
As for Dean Never in a million years.
And how come it’s only Republicans that seem willing to spend millions of taxpayer dollars in what most legal observors say is a losing fight??
Are they doing it for short term gain.
It’s been nice seeing the President out there raising millions for Dems while the RNC is preparing a bankruptcy filing muting there boasts of taking over either chamber.
Heck with Candidates in the Senate like the r’s have in Nevada and Kentucky and Ill.
there may be no change there.
Keep dreaming.
posted by: CT Jim | August 9, 2010 9:32am
Goatee,
Went and checked myself and couldn’t find a site ANYWHERE that says the Republicans are picking up 8 Governor seats, especially since they have 20 dem seats up for election your assumption is the lose half??
Really???
Both CQ politics and Real Clear politics are projecting “MAYBE 3” republican pickups total and they show that the dems are in contention for 2 others which make it a dead heat on pickups.
posted by: WestminsterDentist | August 24, 2010 11:10am
My colleagues here in Colorado have been debating this bill (now law) for months. We all agree that there will be plenty of unintended consequences and other unknowns which is the nature of such far sweeping legislation. We also agree that Republicans will most likely control Congress after this upcoming midterm election and will seek a new bill to repeal the law. Where we disagree is if Republicans will gain enough of a majority to over ride a certain presidential veto of a health care repeal bill. I think not…
posted by: GoatBoyPHD | August 24, 2010 12:33pm
Jimbo,
Here’s the latest campaign projections from concensus polling.
posted by: GoatBoyPHD | August 24, 2010 12:37pm
And on Health Care Jimbo
50% strongly favor repeal and 10% somewhat favor.
Then there’s the Massachussetts crew which is lukewarm: they got theirs.
posted by: CT Jim | August 25, 2010 4:03am
Goattee looked at both sites and they are both conservative polling operations so COME on
As for the Governors predictions 7 of the so called pickups are declared WEAK with 4 others as moderates.
As for the rasmussen poll.
I never look to a polling company controlled by Frank Luntz and call it non-partisan.
The next time rasmussen gets it right it will be the first of this century.
As for picking up congress, the republicans come up short and in the senate they have too many teabaggers as candidates and are in trouble of picking up a zero net gain.
Westminster is right the house R’s will look to repeal but they wont have to worry about a veto. It will never get by the senate.
And they would need to pick up 150 congressional seats and 30 senate seats to overide a veto.
Obama wins big over a teabagger in 2012 so the health care bill will become law right on schedule
posted by: GoatBoyPHD | August 9, 2010 5:44am
Here’s the other reality: 20 states are part of the Florida lawsuit. Viginia has a seperate suit and Missouri is yet to join either suit.
Democrats are expected to lose at least 8 Governorships and many of those new Governors are promising to join the lawsuit if elected.
And that’s not including CT if Foley and Martha Dean win.
It looks like at least half the nation will be in court and as most know the legislative actions are of little real importance if the mandate is struck down.
If the mandate is struck down most of the rest is dependent on whether the states get Federal money or not which isn’t guaranteed in 2012 if the GOP takes control.
There’s a movement afoot to defund the Health Care Bill through appropriations shenanigans in 2011. It has a good chance of succeeding after the November elections.