Tennessee’s Blue Dog Democrats say they have begun reviewing the nearly $900 billion health care overhaul bill. House leaders released the legislation Thursday.
Congressman Bart Gordon has concerns over the financial impact the bill could have on Tennessee taxpayers. House democratic leaders included a government run insurance plan that lets doctors and hospitals negotiate reimbursement rates directly with federal officials. The move made some rural Democrats happy, yet Gordon still does not support a public option. Congressman Lincoln Davis skirted around specifics in the bill because he says he hasn’t read its nearly two thousand pages.
“We will be going through that bill piece by piece by piece. I’m looking for legislation that will reduce price, reduce costs, helps people to get coverage and the small business folks who have ten employees or less buy into a group policy or plan.”
A spokesperson for Congressman John Tanner said he is waiting on cost estimates from the congressional budget office. Tanner voted against a committee proposal because he said it didn’t control health care costs and added to the national deficit. House democratic leaders say this bill cuts the deficit by $30 billion over the next ten years.
Brentwood Republican Marsha Blackburn says the House health care bill, from what she’s read, isn’t something she can support. One part she doesn’t like is a commissioner who would make sure any private or public plan meets minimum standards. She says in a statement: “If that isn’t government takeover of health care, I don’t know what is.”
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