Nomentum: House Democrat Kosmas Reaffirms "No" Vote?

At least that's what Representative Suzanne Kosmas of Florida seems to say.

The rising costs of our health care system put us on an unsustainable path that is hurting job growth, overwhelming the federal budget, and creating debt for future generations. The House bill does not do enough to slow the growth of health care costs or to rein in spending on care. That is why, after careful consideration I decided that I could not in good conscience support this bill.

Fiscally responsible health care reform is attainable, but we must improve upon the House bill. This requires reform that continues to provide choice, does not change benefits to veterans and seniors, and truly rewards quality outcomes and moves us away from the fee-for-service system that rewards quantity alone. There must be real incentives to maintain healthy lifestyles and to provide health insurance plans that are more cost-effective. Finally, any legislation must also make a serious effort to control waste, fraud, and abuse.

Additionally, we should hold insurance companies accountable by preventing them from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions, by eliminating life-time caps on coverage, and by taking steps to lower premiums. However, in the long run, these reforms will be in vain if we don't take significant steps to rein in rising costs, and the House bill did not achieve this goal.

Not sure what sorts of fixes she has in mind. If the reconciliation fix actually reduced costs, that would take it further away from progressives' dreams, which is the opposite, I thought, of what reconciliation is being promised to do.

Suzanne Kosmas is one of the nine previous "no" votes Nancy Pelosi is asking to join her Suicide Squad. And it would be suicide, as her district went McCain by 2 and Bush by 10.

Oh: Note she is specifically addressing the House bill above, not the Senate bill, which is what she'd be voting on, if Pelosi calls the vote. I didn't make that clear.

Whatever "fixes" she'd have in mind in reconciliation would be the opposite of what the persuadable progressives would want.

posted by Ace at 02:39 PM

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