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Politics

Walz announces that he'll vote for health care reform bill

11/7/2009 6:55:02 AM

Comments (8)

By Heather J. Carlson
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

First District DFL Rep. Tim Walz announced plans Friday to vote for the $1.2 trillion health-care reform bill, saying the time has come to change the system.

"This is going to make sure our middle class families have access to stable, affordable care. It is going to make sure that we don't stifle innovation and entrepreneurship by allowing you to get insurance if you lose or leave your job. It is going to make sure our small employers are competitive with the rest of the world," Walz said.

Walz said he held off on announcing his support for the bill in order to see the final version and make sure it contained four key items. He said it had to include measures to reform the Medicare payment system so it is based on value instead of quantity. He also wanted the bill to expand coverage to as many uninsured Americans as possible and prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. He also said that the bill had to be deficit neutral.

Republican response

Republicans were quick to criticize Walz for supporting a bill that they say will hurt small businesses with its employer mandates at a time when unemployment is at record levels.

"By supporting the trillion dollar government takeover of health care, Tim Walz has proved to the people of southern Minnesota that he's not the 'independent leader' he claims to be, but really just another partisan Democrat dedicated to advancing an agenda that isn't getting our economy back on track," said Tom Erickson, spokesman with the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Walz said the bill will benefit businesses struggling with double-digit increases in health care costs for employees. He added that 98.8 percent of small business owners in the 1st District will not have to pay a health care surcharge.

"I don't think anybody should be surprised that I was going to advocate for health care reform," he said. "I ran on it as far back as 2005 that the system was broken."

Others weigh in

Republican Allen Quist, who is considering running for Walz's seat, has planned a health care forum at 7 p.m. Monday in Rochester at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center to try to mobilize voters to urge Walz not to support the final health care bill.

While the American Medical Association and AARP have come out to endorse the House plan, Mayo Clinic has avoided offering its endorsement. Jane Jacobs, spokeswoman for Mayo Clinic's Health Policy Center, said the clinic does not plan to take a position on any bills but may consider endorsing a final bill once it leaves conference committee.

Mayo Clinic released an analysis of the health care reform bills saying it supports many provisions including reforms of the payment system. Clinic leaders are concerned that the payment reforms would not take effect quickly enough.

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There are 8 comments - Display All Comments

OnlyTheTr
uth
MN, MN

Posted on 11/7/2009 at 6:28:37 PM

I’m shocked!

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Atilla
Rochester, Mn

Posted on 11/7/2009 at 6:50:17 PM

Why are Walz, and the Democrats in Congress seemingly intent on National Suicide?

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alf_neuma
n
Rochester, Mn

Posted on 11/7/2009 at 7:11:02 PM

What a surprise. Despite Walz’ talk, his vote for this monstrosity was never in question. Maybe with the weekend work he can actually get around to reading it. His recitation of a heartthrob story in his recent commentary piece should have been the first clue he was in the bag and wasn’t asking any questions. One wonders if that story was even true, or just sent to him by Rahm Emmanuel and the Obumble administration for talking points. Hopefully there are some real blue-dogs who have the guts to vote this thing down. Walz is not among them and never was.

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Auriandra
Rochester, MN

Posted on 11/8/2009 at 4:53:16 AM

Wonderful. Way to go, Mr. Walz!

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Hugh_Bric
e
Rocehster, MN

Posted on 11/8/2009 at 6:04:38 AM

What a disaster.

How willfully obtuse can that man be? Oh, that’s right he represents Mankato first, not Rochester or Austin or anywhere else.

Has it escaped this man’s attention that the Mayo is no longer accepting some Medicare and Medicaid patients.

This is not only a national disaster, this is a disaster for the Mayo Clinic...make no doubt about it.

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Mrs_C
Rochester, MN

Posted on 11/8/2009 at 11:19:35 AM

With the support of the AMA, the Mayo Clinic, AARP, and other groups, the Health Care Reform bill passed in the House 220-215. One Republican voted for the people over politics. Rest assured, John Boener and Eric Cantor will be gunning for him.

With Tim’s vote, this country can focus on seeing to the basic Health needs of its people over politics.

No one in this country should be told; as Eric Cantor told a woman at a Town Hall in Virginia whose relative has Stage 3 Cancer, lost a job and her Health Coverage, “She should sell off everything she owns in order to pay for her Health Care, then file for Bankruptcy, and seek out charity from her neighbors organizations.”

Also, the Republican behavior on the House Floor yesterday was a demonstration of the despicable bully tactics they have resorted to now that they are no longer in the majority. The GOP members in Congress do indeed deserve the moniker of OBSTRUCTIONISTS. No way in Hades was Cantor’s motion to recommit this Bill was going to pass.

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MommaBear
Byron, MN

Posted on 11/8/2009 at 9:42:14 PM

My prediction, Timmy and a number of other democrats glotting today will be gone 2010. There is no way the economy will turn around fast enough to make the taxpayers believe the democrats are working for them instead of against them. Add Cap & Trade more stimulus, your party Mrs_C. will no longer be making history, they will be history.

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MovinOn
Austin, MN

Posted on 11/9/2009 at 8:59:15 AM

I believe Mrs. C that you are misinformed. Mayo does support reform but not necessarily this bill. This is the statement published the HPC Executive Diretor: There are many positive provisions in both bills that begin to move Medicare toward a program that pays for value, but there are also provisions that establish a new public plan that could be similar to Medicare in its flawed payment approach, and also the potential of a major expansion of government programs if large employers are allowed to join the public plan insurance exchange in future years.

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