Health Care

MEDICAID FUNDING VOTE SHOWS POOR JUDGMENT

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett voted against the interests of people who live in this district by supporting the Administration plan to slash Medicaid funding. “It’s a disgraceful and insulting vote to ignore the needs of Marylanders in these tough economic times. Bartlett supports making tax cuts for the wealthiest permanent, but thumbs his nose at people who truly need help,” said Democratic nominee Jennifer Dougherty. “He is out of touch and shows poor judgment with votes like this.”

A small group of extremists tried to cut $18 billion from Medicaid over the next five years. The House bill voted to protect the Medicaid safety net with a veto-proof majority (349-62).

“It is so unfortunate to see him turn his heart against those who need help. This is another example of Bartlett’s flawed logic where the rich are rewarded with tax cuts and the poor need to pay the price. If Bartlett thinks the strains on the economy are so great that we cannot afford to protect the neediest Americans, why does he support tax cuts for the rich or our continued presence in Iraq?”

Dougherty has challenged Bartlett to debate the issues in every county in the District. Bartlett has not committed to any scheduled debates.

Just when families finish juggling last year’s taxes, Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain supports a plan that places a larger tax burden on American workers. Just today he said, “We need tax policies that respect workers” and encourage work, but his plan for reforming the nation’s health care system sends a chilling message to working Americans who would lose employer-provided health benefits and pay more in taxes.

The Republican plan would:

• Make health benefits a taxable benefit requiring working people who get their health coverage through work to pay higher taxes

• Encourage employers to discontinue offering health care benefits
• Force people to negotiate with big insurance companies on their own
• Support the creation of Health Savings Accounts with high deductibles
• Offer a tax credit $2500 (individual) and $5000 (family) to offset insurance costs
  • Average cost per individual almost $6000/year

  • Average cost per family almost $7500/year

I agree that we need to reform our nation’s health care system and soon. We cannot allow 47 million Americans including nearly 9 million children to go without adequate health care. I support universal health care coverage that is fair and allows choice, but on a day when most Americans are focused on paying their taxes, I want to state my opposition to a plan that increases taxes on working people. I will work to:

• Maintain employer-sponsored health care benefits

• Allow individuals to buy from the federal employees’ plan
• Provide tax credits to small businesses offering health care benefits
  • address need to access affordable plans

  • provide credits up to 50%
  • complement tax credits to individuals/families
• Limit premiums to percentage of income
• Strengthen Medicare to protect Seniors and allow early retirees to buy-in
• Strengthen Medicaid and SCHIP to provide adequate health care to lower-income families, especially children