By Rick Dandes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs in Congress, denied Tuesday that the powerful 52-member coalition is stalling health care legislation sought by President Barack Obama.
Obama has urged Congress to move the measure through both houses by the time lawmakers leave for a monthlong summer vacation Aug. 8.
Without the backing of the Blue Dogs, it would be difficult for Democrats to pass the bill, especially because no Republican supports it.
“But we will pass a bill,” Carney said Tuesday.
“This is by far the most complex social policy this nation faces. To have set an artificial deadline of Aug. 1 to pass this legislation was not realistic.”
Carney, D-10, of Dimock, was adamant Tuesday about not rushing legislation through committee to meet that deadline.
“I disagree with those who said any legislation, any bill, is better than no legislation,” he said. “If we don’t do this correctly, we could be spending more money and covering fewer people. I won’t do that.
Some 14,000 people lose health care each day, Carney said.
“Costs are rising about 10 percent a year,” he added. “We must do something. In the end, we have to cover as many people as possible. Cover the uninsured. And we have to keep short-term and long-term costs in line.”
House Democrats aren’t stalling, but studying the legislation, Carney said.
“We’re taking the bill and making it stronger,” he added. “One of the things I’m being particularly watchful of is to make sure it’s better for the rural areas.”
Carney also said he would be against a bill that adds to the burden of small businesses by mandating they provide health care for workers, or face penalties.
Not penalizing someone for pre-existing conditions and transportability are issues that must be addressed by legislation, he added.
Carney said his district office in Williamsport has received calls from constituents worried that senior citizens will die under the proposed plan.
“Someone is using scare tactics, and it’s not right,” he said. “The fact is, people will not be forced to take a government plan. There will be options.”
Obama has also looked to ease seniors’ concerns about changes to care, costs and other issues.
“The costs of doing nothing are trillions of dollars in costs over the next couple of decades — trillions, not billions — but trillions of dollars in costs without anybody getting any better care,” Obama said at an AARP-sponsored town hall meeting Tuesday. “Now, here’s the problem, that in order for us to save money, in some cases, we’ve got to spend some money up front.”
The House bill models the payments based on Medicare, but Blue Dogs want a negotiated rate similar to private insurance.
In the Senate, officials speaking on condition of anonymity said any legislation that emerges from the talks is expected to provide for a nonprofit cooperative to sell insurance in competition with private industry, rather than giving the federal government a role in the marketplace.
Obama and numerous Democrats in Congress have called for a government option to provide competition to private companies and hold down costs, and the House bill includes one — another concern for the Blue Dogs.
Officials also said a bipartisan compromise in the Senate would not subject large companies to a penalty if they declined to offer coverage to their workers. Instead, these businesses would be required to reimburse the government for part or all of any federal subsidies designed to help lower-income employees obtain insurance on their own.
The legislation in the House includes both a penalty and a requirement for large companies to share in the cost of covering employees.
-- E-mail comments to rdandes@dailyitem.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
