Blue Dog Democrats Voice Concerns in Energy and Commerce Committee Markup
Opening statements delivered on July 16 at the outset of the health reform markup in the House Energy and Commerce Committee indicate that a number of rank-and-file House Democrats have concerns about the health reform bill that has been developed by the “Tri-Committee” leaders.
Seven members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition delivered identical statements, cautioning that the inefficiencies and waste of the current health care system cannot be fixed “by simply pouring more money into a broken system.” These Blue Dogs – Reps. John Barrow (D-GA), Bart Gordon (D-TN), Baron Hill (D-IN), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Charlie Melancon (D-LA), Mike Ross (D-AR) and Zack Space (D-OH) – suggested that health reform should do the following: find savings within existing public programs and ensure that we get more value for our health care dollars; be more aggressive in implementing innovative delivery reforms to bend the cost curve; and provide assistance for individuals, families, and small businesses to help them purchase health care without bankrupting the federal government.
In addition, Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) voiced concern that the House bill does not address the need for delivery system reforms. Kind expressed concern about creating a government plan that pays Medicare rates to providers, but he also said that he believes a government plan is needed. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) expressed opposition to the current House bill.
The committee began considering amendments in today’s session. Chairman Waxman has indicated that his goal is to complete the markup by Wednesday, July 22, and he has told committee members to be prepared to work late into the evenings to accomplish this goal.
Ways and Means Committee Approves Health Reform Bill
In the early morning hours of July 17, the House Ways and Means Committee approved its version of H.R. 3200, the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act,” by a vote of 23 to 18. Three Democrats – Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), and John Tanner (D-TN) – crossed party lines in voting against the bill.
The committee defeated more than 25 amendments during the day-long markup, including the following:
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an amendment by Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) that would have deleted the bill’s employer mandate (25-15 vote);
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an amendment by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) that would have deleted the bill’s government-run plan (25-15 vote);
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an amendment by Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) that would have deleted the bill’s Medicare Advantage funding cuts (voice vote);
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an amendment by Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA) that would have prevented comparative effectiveness research findings from being used to make coverage decisions based on cost (26-15 vote);
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an amendment by Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) that would have required members of Congress to enroll in the government-run plan (21-18 vote);
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an amendment by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) that would have prohibited the government from compelling physicians to participate in the government-run plan (22-19 vote); and
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an amendment by Rep. John Linder (R-GA) that would have capped non-economic damages at $250,000 in medical liability cases (26-13 vote).
Education and Labor Committee Approves Health Reform Bill
On July 17, the House Education and Labor Committee approved its version of H.R. 3200, the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act,” by a vote of 26 to 22. Three Democrats – Reps. Jason Altmire (D-PA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Dina Titus (D-NV) – crossed party lines in voting against the bill.
The committee convened Thursday morning and worked through the evening and overnight, taking just a brief recess around daybreak, before returning to finish the markup earlier today. The committee considered 42 amendments, approximately half of which were approved. The rest were either defeated, withdrawn, or ruled non-germane. Notable amendments in this markup include the following:
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By voice vote, the committee approved an amendment by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) that would impose new rules for preexisting condition exclusions six months after the bill’s enactment. The Courtney amendment would reduce, from six months to 30 days, the “look-back” period that applies for purposes of determining whether a person has preexisting conditions and also reduce, from 12 months to three months, the timeframe during which a plan can exclude coverage for the preexisting conditions of new enrollees.
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By voice vote, the committee approved an amendment by Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) that would extend COBRA continuation coverage to unemployed workers until they either become eligible for employment-based coverage or coverage offered through the bill’s health insurance exchange.
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By a vote of 29 to 19, the committee approved an amendment by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) that would allow more small businesses to purchase coverage through the health insurance exchange in the first two years.
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By a vote of 27 to 19, the committee approved an amendment by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) that would require the HHS Secretary to grant a waiver to states that enact a single-payer system that is structured and operates in a manner consistent with the House bill.
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The committee defeated Republican amendments that proposed to eliminate the proposed government-run plan, to eliminate the proposed health insurance exchange, and to eliminate the proposed “pay or play” requirement for employers.
