Lawmakers from Maine push health care reforms

AUGUSTA – Members of Maine’s congressional delegation agree health reform will remain a high priority for lawmakers beyond the “100 hours” agenda set by the new Democratic majority this week, but they do not agree on how best to reform the health care system.

“I have many health-related bills that will not be taken up in the first 100 hours,” said Democratic Rep. Tom Allen. “We will pass legislation requiring the negotiation of drug prices for the Medicare program and the stem cell research bill, but there is so much more to be done.”

All four members of the delegation do agree when it comes to having the federal government negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies to make Medicare prescriptions cheaper and to expanding the opportunity for federally funded stem cell research. In fact, all have sponsored or co-sponsored in the past two years legislation similar to the two measures that are scheduled for House action next week.

Allen said while he believes there are enough votes to pass both bills, they could face a veto.

“We still have George Bush to deal with,” Allen said. “He has opposed both of these in the past.”

Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud agreed but said the bills are too important to delay or try to achieve some sort of compromise with the White House.

He said the House ought to pass the measures and present them to the president, and “if he decides to veto [them], that’s his prerogative,” he said. “We can try to override [the vetoes]. We are a separate branch of government, and we need to do what we think is right.”

Though Republican, Maine’s two senators both strongly disagree with Bush on these two particular issues.

Sen. Susan Collins said she is teaming up with Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., on a comprehensive health care bill that “contains a variety of public and private approaches to make health coverage more available and affordable.”

Among the provisions are tax credits to help small-business owners and individuals pay for health insurance, an increase in payments under the Medicare program to rural states, the establishment of insurance purchasing co-ops and grants to states to subsidize wellness programs in the workplace.

Both Collins and fellow Sen. Olympia Snowe have proposals to expand the children’s health insurance program called SCHIP. Eligibility would be expanded to include parents under the Collins proposal, and Snowe is trying to get funding restored to the program.

“I wish this was part of the 100 hours they are talking about,” Collins said. “This program is underfunded for this year and needs to be expanded, not reduced.”

The program needs another $900 million to keep current children covered through the budget year that started Oct. 1, 2006. The estimated $6.5 million shortfall in Maine would cause about 3,250 children out of the 14,800 served by the program to lose coverage if funding is not restored, according to Gov. John Baldacci.

“We need a permanent solution,” Snowe said. “This program works, and it should be expanded.”

Both congressmen also support the idea of improving health care coverage. Allen said he will introduce legislation that would tackle the problem of uninsured Americans from multiple approaches. He would cover through SCHIP all children who are not covered through other insurance programs and he would allow anyone 55 years or older who does not have health insurance to buy coverage through Medicare. The federal health care insurance program is currently for people aged 65 and over, and for the disabled.

“The other area where we know more needs to be done is with small business,” Allen said, “We are talking about 16 percent of our gross domestic product. This is a huge part of our economy but the important thing is to start the process.”

Allen said the high cost of health care in the United States is affecting the nation’s economic competitiveness with other countries having the advantage of national health insurance systems.

There is a clear split, though, among delegation members over how best to help small businesses get adequate health insurance. Allen wants a plan overseen by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services that would allow employers with less than 50 employees to buy insurance through a plan set up by HHS.

Michaud supported Allen’s plan last year and expects to support his new legislation again this year when it is introduced.

Both Snowe and Collins, however, are supporting efforts to provide incentives to buy private health insurance through tax breaks and purchasing alliances.