Health Care Not Dead Yet in Maryland
Plans to greatly expand health care coverage for the poor in Maryland may not be dead after all.
The Senate leader of a legislative panel working to expand health care coverage said yesterday that the General Assembly should set aside a fund to improve health care when it addresses Maryland's projected budget shortfall.
"We're going to get one bite at the apple," said Sen. Rob Garagiola (D-Montgomery), co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. "It would be my hope that we set aside some dollars in advance."
The committee met in Annapolis to take another crack at expanding health care access for an estimated 750,000 Marylanders without medical insurance. An effort led by House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) failed in the legislative session that ended in April, with the House passing an ambitious bill to offer Medicaid to tens of thousands of uninsured adults but the Senate rejecting it.
Health care is likely to figure heavily in negotiations between Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and legislative leaders over how to deal with the fiscal crisis. The legalization of slot-machine gambling, a priority of Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (D-Calvert) will be on the table. Busch is sure to make a health-care package his bargaining chip.
Garagiola was appointed to the health care committee by Miller, who opposed the plan during the legislative session that ended April 9 because of its proposed cost. So Garagiola's supportive comments will no doubt be seen as encouraging to advocates of expanding health care coverage.
By |
May 30, 2007; 6:30 AM ET
| Category:
Lisa Rein
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Posted by: gitarre | May 30, 2007 9:51 AM
Yes, gitarre.Bobby Hairspray left a huge looming deficit, but deciding on priorities for what Maryland residents need is what governing is all about.Health care is one of those things at the top.
Posted by: jmsbh | May 30, 2007 12:16 PM
The legislature passed a flawed Thornton with no funding plan. Now they they want to pass an expensive health plan without talking about an attached funding plan. Come on guys, just admit you want to give every Marylander a tax increase every day, a tax increase that was never mentioned in the l2+ campaign mailings that Sen. Garagiola sent to my house in October and November, 2006.
Posted by: Robin Ficker | May 30, 2007 12:45 PM
jmsbs,
Despite the rhetoric, Ehrlich left the state in sound fiscal shape and, yes, with a surplus. The "huge looming deficit" is on the horizon because of plans such as this which will no doubt give illegal aliens access to free health care. Combined with in-state tuition rates, this will be the Mecca for illegals if O'Malley and the gang get their way.
Posted by: BG from PG | May 30, 2007 12:53 PM
Those who oppose affordable health care in Maryland:
move to Virgina or another retro-state. Or go back in time to the 19th century ala' Dickens (no, Oliver, you can't have more...)
Maryland is progressive, and can afford it.
Posted by: civic minded | May 30, 2007 2:30 PM
Those who support socialized health care in Maryland:
Go to Communist China or Cuba to really enjoy the fruits of the system you so willingly promote!
America is free and doesn't need socialism.
Posted by: Rufus | May 31, 2007 1:14 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Love it.
Deep in debt, with more on the way when the next recession hits, they want to sharply increase SPENDING.
Maryland's Comptroller is going to have to buy his red ink by the barrel...