THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 7, 1994 TAG: 9408060019
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
The great health-care debate is heading toward the endgame phase in Washington. The president's promise to veto any bill that does not provide universal coverage has turned out to be a hollow threat. It is now clear the president and congressional Democrats have adopted a ``51-vote'' strategy, determined to ram through anything that can garner a bare majority and be plausibly labeled health-care reform.
None of the compromising, however, means that reform is likely to be good for Americans or improve their health-care delivery system. Compared with the instant mandates and regional alliances of the original Clinton plan, the ``compromise'' offered by Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine, looks less government-heavy, but looks are deceiving. It is in fact nothing more than a slow-motion version of the now-discarded ClintonCare proposal.
The 1,400 page Mitchell's bill weighs, in the memorable phrase of Oregon Republican Sen. Robert Packwood, more than President Clinton did when he was born. Instead of imposing instant employer mandates, a commission would have to determine in the year 2000 if 95 percent health coverage had been met. Since Hawaii already has ``universal'' coverage and only manages 93 percent coverage, job-killing mandates would simply be delayed for six years.
The bill would also vastly expand the Medicare program, providing health-care subsidies to as many as 100 million Americans. Medicare is already busting the federal budget. Where the money will come from to fund this new entitlement is not clear.
Debate on the bill is now scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The only reason for ramming through this complex legislation is politics, and that is a bad reason. Americans for Tax Reform, a Washington-based group, is asking legislators to take the ``legislative probity pledge'': Members of Congress promise not to vote for any health-care bill they haven't read. With so much at stake, that is the least they can promise their constituents on such a momentous issue. by CNB