Schwarzenegger Says Health Care Bill a 'Rip-Off'

[David Zephyr]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says concessions made to Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson to win his vote on the health care overhaul bill were a "rip-off" for his state and is urging California lawmakers to vote against it.

In an interview airing Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, Schwarzenegger says giving extra Medicaid benefits to Nebraska to secure Nelson's vote, critical to Senate passage of the measure, was "like buying a vote." In Sacramento, he says, "it is illegal to do that, to buy votes."

Schwarzenegger was one of the few Republicans to express support for health care reform, but last week protested the deal that gave Nebraska more Medicaid money but not other states.

Nelson said he is asking the Democratic leadership to extend to all states the extra Medicaid money Nebraska would receive under the bill. The House and Senate are now negotiating the final version.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_schwarzenegger_health

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I guess I've finally found something I agree with Arnold about after all these years. It is a "rip off" to California and to working Americans.

[provis99]

1. yeah, its a ripoff. But the Gropinator would have taken the same deal.

Tough luck, Arnie. No kudos for you.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. I agree with Arnie overall but I also agree with Nelson on Medicaid.

The Medicaid expansion should not leave any state with an unfunded mandate when so many are deep in the red right now. I don't begrudge Nebraska getting 100% funding at all. Every state with a large Medicaid population should be getting the same deal. I know for a fact that Arizona cannot afford to have thousands of new enrollees to ACCCHS, even with the feds picking up 80% of the tab.

[girl gone mad]

3. I agree with him on lgbt rights, too.

Also I think he is more progressive on drug policy than most pols.

[Oerdin]

4. It's better then nothing (marginally)

But, yeah, it is a rip off. We've been robbed of real reform for at least another generation.

[clear eye]

5. It's set up to give most of the regulatory power to HHS, not Congress

so it will get worse (no fear of a lost election to counter industry pressure). In 5 years, you will know that it's worse than nothing, even given how bad the status quo is. The increased power of the insurance industry fattened by the mandated purchases guarantees it.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. This is how Congress traditionally passes legislation.

Trade-offs for votes.

[Luciferous]

8. That's what I was thinking as well

They make concessions or give legislators money for special projects in return for votes all the time. That doesn't make it right, but it's kind of ridiculous that they are all acting like this is something new.

[Vidar]

7. He's right--for once.