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Bipartisan effort fails after Schock pressure

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Illinois

A key downstate lawmaker who has worked since last summer to craft legislation that would create a health-insurance exchange for more than 1 million Illinoisans has given up, at least for now.

State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, said he decided he would try again later after seeing Republican opposition harden in recent weeks.

There aren’t enough votes among Democrats to muscle a bill through the Democrat-controlled General Assembly, he said. […]

Mautino said it became obvious that bipartisan legislation couldn’t be passed in the wake of a statewide tour in April by House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego and U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria.

The pair questioned potential costs to the state budget of implementing an exchange and a federally subsidized expansion of the Medicaid program - both key components of the federal Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement.

* From that April statewide tour…

“The idea of creating a costly new program with an untold number of new regulations is a non-starter in our current budget climate,” Leader Cross said. “We simply cannot afford to plunge into the rabbit hole created by open-ended federal mandates put in place by the Obama Administration and cross our fingers and hope for the best. We cannot and should not move forward on creating exchanges until we know all the parameters.”

“It’s impossible to kick a field goal if you don’t know where the goal posts are,” Cross added.

Rep. Schock added, “With so much uncertainty, states would be wise to hold off on creating insurance exchanges until the Obama Administration either gets its act together – or gets replaced.”

* Mautino’s quest for a bipartisan solution was sharply criticized from the left as too pro-insurance company. But now that they’ve managed to derail a bipartisan solution, some Republicans are pushing hard against any executive order by Gov. Pat Quinn…

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn may use an executive order to establish a health insurance exchange, a website where consumers could comparison shop for insurance that’s a key piece of President Barack Obama’s health care law, according to Quinn’s chief health care adviser.

Michael Gelder, the governor’s adviser, said the Legislature’s workload on Medicaid and pension reform makes it unlikely lawmakers will be able to pass legislation authorizing an insurance exchange during the current session, which is scheduled to end later this month.

Looming federal deadlines leave the governor with two choices: calling the Legislature back into special session or issuing an executive order, Gelder said.

But Republicans said an executive order would be inappropriate, especially before the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the Affordable Care Act. A decision is expected in June.

“The issuance of an executive order to establish a health insurance exchange by Gov. Quinn at this time is premature on a number of levels,” said Sen. Bill Brady, a Bloomington Republican who co-chaired a legislative study committee on the health insurance exchange. “We expect the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a ruling on Obamacare in just a few weeks.”

An executive order would undercut the legislative process and cut out stakeholders who’ve been involved so far, Brady said.

“There is no consensus, but the governor should let that process play out,” he said.

There’s no consensus, time is running out on the session, but nobody should do anything. OK.

What we have here, essentially, is DC partisan politics invading Springfield. Thanks, Aaron.

* Meanwhile…

No matter what happens with the state’s budget problems, state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said welfare and Medicaid reform have to be part of the solution. Bost said tougher standards for eligibility and better enforcement of those standards must be part of any reform.

“Because Illinois’ enforcement is so lax, there is plenty of room for fraud,” he said.

Bost said Medicaid reform passed last year was an example of sound policy but poor execution because Gov. Pat Quinn refused to implement reforms.

Illinois Department of Health and Family Services spokesman Mike Claffey said Bost missed the mark when he targeted enforcement measures written into the 2011 bipartisan reform package.

Claffey said electronic verification of residency through data matching began in April. Screeners also call possible recipients if address verification cannot be determined through electronic sources.

“If verification cannot be provided, eligibility is canceled,” Claffey said. “This protects the integrity of the program by making sure that those who are enrolled meet the requirements.”

Up next is electronic verification of income through cooperation with the state’s department of revenue, Claffey said.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:00 am

Comments

The only thing that happens if the state fails to act is that the exchanges will be set up for Illinois and run by HHS and the Federal Government. It’s not like these exchanges are optional under the law.

It seems to me that the GOP is making a very stupid mistake here. Even if the individual mandate is thrown out by SCOUTS, the odds are that the rest of the law will remain intact — which means the exchanges are coming. State enactment was the opportunities for state control in this process. Blowing off the opportunity gives all the power to the feds — hardly a policy outcome the GOP would normally favor.

Comment by ILPundit Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:07 am
Just how expensive does Rep. Cross believe setting up a website will be?

Cong. Schock’s concern is a little odd, since I imagine he selected his insurance through the federal exchange, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

And, of course, taxpayers pick up about 75% of his monthly premium.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:15 am
what a crock, business groups were actually behind the bi-partisan framework because this exchange is good for small businesses.

But why do something productive when we can do something partisan?

Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:40 am
Whatever we do let’s make sure that we don’t have any plan in place for anything. That is our motto and we stand by it solidly. No need to worry because you know how quickly we can come together to solve important issues.

( heavy snark intended )

Comment by Irish Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:45 am
I like the idea of exchanges. The concept is much better and overall will be much cheaper than a single-payer system. You’re giving the uninsured and underinsured a chance to choose and purchase health coverage at a fair market rate on their own and the insurance companies will reap the benefits of adding customers who will still need to pay premiums, meet deductibles and shell out co-payments. The state is mandated to do this by the ACA and HHS will reign down on the Department of Insurance if nothing is done. I understand Leader Cross’s concern - especially since the state is facing its own Medicaid and state employee and retiree health insurance issues - but I would rather the state be proactive (i.e. the Illinois Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan, or IPXP) than have the feds come in and dictate the terms of our exchange. Senator Brady should know after 8 years of the Bush Administration that federal agencies don’t care if the state doesn’t want outside involvement.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:54 am
Can we quit paying for the insurance for legislators who don’t want people to be able to pay for affordable insurance for themselves? They just need a taste of what they are doing to others.

Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:00 am
Correct me if I am wrong, but don’t Democrats control the house, senate, governor’s mansion? Mautino doesn’t need a single R vote.

Comment by Allen Skillicorn Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:04 pm
This is a great example of what’s wrong in Springfield and DC. Even if you hate regulation and loathe Obamacare, who could be against setting up a market like a Health Insurance Exchange. This is just smart policy. It’s no wonder Republicans want to kill it.

As you said Rich, thanks Aaron for bringing DC to Springfield…like we don’t have enough problems of our own.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:13 pm
===Mautino doesn’t need a single R vote.===

So, you’d rather have a government where Republicans are totally and completely shut out of everything? Careful what you wish for, dude.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:19 pm
A good rule of thumb I have found to be true in the last four years is: If Schock is speaking against it, it’s probably a decent idea that has a chance of success.

I cannot understand why people think he has any understanding at all of what life is like for the average American. As someone his age who has been married, divorced, has kids, has bounced more than a few checks in his life, and in general muddied my way through just like everyone else, I just can’t believe, based on his highly touted life story and equally highly touted voting record, that he grasps that life isn’t as clear cut as his stances indicate.

But at least he has an R after his name, that makes him one of the good guys, right? I mean, party is more important than the person, amiright?

Comment by Colossus Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:19 pm
“Mautino’s quest for a bipartisan solution was sharply criticized from the left as too pro-insurance company.”

Let’s be honest, if Mautino is working on it, it already is too pro-insurance company. He is just using this as cover.

Comment by gb Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:38 pm
=== ===Mautino doesn’t need a single R vote.===

So, you’d rather have a government where Republicans are totally and completely shut out of everything? Careful what you wish for, dude.===

Bi-Partisanship is overrated and leads to nothing but getting thigs done … to geood government which is also good politics.

Maybe Illinois needs some of that bi-partisanship, couldn’t hurt …

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:46 pm
The exchange proposals and final setup needs to be bipartisan because there’s a good chance that the Republicans could control everything in D.C. starting in January 2013. If there are some more “palatable” portions of the exchange that the state GOP can get behind, there is a less likely chance that a Romney Administration or a Fred Upton Energy & Commerce Committee or a Mike Enzi HELP Committee comes down hard on the Department of Insurance.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:06 pm
Team Sleep,

First of all, there is not a good chance, there is a chance, big difference. Second, they can always modify the exchanges after they are set up, waiting for a chance of one party domination in Washington is bad policy.

Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:12 pm
–…there is a less likely chance that a Romney Administration or a Fred Upton Energy & Commerce Committee or a Mike Enzi HELP Committee comes down hard on the Department of Insurance.–

If it goes down like that, I volunteer to be the Illinois liaison to Kate Upton, Fred Upton’s niece. I’ll do it for nothing, but I think I’ll need a pretty good expense account.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:27 pm
@Word: Need an assistant?

Comment by Colossus Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:33 pm
So, we shouldnt create a website without the Supreme Court’s okay, but we should cut Medicaid by $2.7 billion while the fate of health reform hangs in the balance?

Makes perfect sense to me.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:36 pm
Ahoy - I understand that may not be good policy. But if the Illinois exchange is set to begin July 1, 2013 and Mitt Romney wins the presidency, it wouldn’t take much for his HHS Secretary to bring the heat on the state to alter parts of the exchange.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:40 pm
All of this is simply more Republican obstructionism. That is all they do in Washington and all they do in Illinois.

As for Illinois Republicans, it’s getting pathetic the amount of whining you are doing while offering no solutions except to say if the Democrats wanted to do something they could do it. How much more pathetic can you be? No wonder you aren’t in the majority. It’s clear you have no ideas on anything.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 2:55 pm
Rep. Schock added, “With so much uncertainty

Schock, proud member of the D.C. monkey wrench gang, is now extremely well practiced in the art of creating uncertainty. He calls it as he creates it. GRRRRR…..
Schock, ain’t you got a campaign finance report that needs some amending?

Comment by vole Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 3:23 pm
This insurance information exchange idea is free-market-based, cheap, and efficient support for both the private insurance industry and small businesses. It is the opposite of “socialistic”. It comes right out of recommendations by the American Enterprise Institute, and conservative Republican economic theory right back to Adam Smith.

So of course Republicans are all for it, aren’t they?

Oh, I forgot — the insurance information exchanges are also supported by Obama, so they must be opposed at all costs. What a disgrace.

Comment by mark walker Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 5:00 pm
Wasn’t the Republican battle cry for health care reform basically to create insurance exchanges that would cross state lines?

What’s different between exchanges within Illinois and exchanges that cross state lines?

Hmmmm…

Would the difference be that insurance companies could shop for the state with the weakest consumer protection rules and sell insurance from that state?

The Republicans are transparently screwing the citizenry to help the capital class.

Why can the GOP get away with it? Because the corporate media is the PR wing of the corporatocracy.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 5:10 pm
If the Democrats control state government, why don’t they take responsibility for state government?

Yes, Republicans are obstructionist tools. Point made. Now move on and govern the state.

If Democrats and Republicans aren’t going to be responsible, why are we electing them?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 5:13 pm
–The Republicans are transparently screwing the citizenry to help the capital class.

Why can the GOP get away with it? Because the corporate media is the PR wing of the corporatocracy.–

I get your point, but I don’t think it’s that simple. Information is out there if anyone cares to find it.

But that takes work and, shudder, reading, and after a long day it’s easier to tune into some cable yabbo who will tell you that you’re a victim of people living the high life on welfare.

Not that welfare is the high life, or even that big of an expense, but it feels good, in a perverse way.

I read the other day that prior to the buildup for WWII, corporate income tax collections exceeded, by far, those paid by individuals.

Prior to that, a relatively small percentage of individuals even had to file, much less pay.

We’ve been on a war-footing ever since, and it’s been footed by individuals.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 5:46 pm
@Carl -

You, like too many others, confuse “majority” with “being in control.”

Yes, a majority of both chambers are members of the Democratic Party. But I would bet that a majority of those represent districts where Democrats make up less that a third of their constituents.

They are members of the Democratic Party, but a majority of those they represent are Independents. Many of those Independents, I’m guessing, see Democrats as the party that shares their values if not their ideas. Whereas Republicans neither share their values nor do they have any ideas.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:14 pm