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Democrats turn routine review into assault on GOP's healthcare agenda
Energy and Commerce Democrats on Thursday sought to turn a routine review of the committee's accomplishments into an indictment of Republicans' healthcare agenda.
While largely agreeing with the nonpartisan contents of the semi-annual activities report, Democrats introduced a slew of amendments requiring the committee to examine the effects of the Republican budget on Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries. The goal, they acknowledged, is to widen the panel's focus beyond efforts to repeal Democrats' healthcare reform law.
The Democratic attacks come as debt ceiling talks screeched to a halt Thursday over Republicans' refusal to consider tax increases. Energy and Commerce Democrats, meanwhile, made it clear they'd fight tooth and nail to avoid massive cuts to healthcare entitlements proposed by the GOP.
"On healthcare, this committee has voted to strip benefits from seniors, the disabled and children," ranking member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said in his opening remarks. "It has passed legislation that repeals basic consumer protections and would allow insurance companies to discriminate against individuals with pre-existing illnesses. The Republican agenda has been to end Medicare and Medicaid as we know it."
The semi-annual activity report is required by new rules adopted by Republicans to promote transparency. Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.) bemoaned that Democrats turned a markup that should have "almost perfunctory" into a "partisan" battle.
"Apparently we are accused on a partisan basis on almost every turn," he said. "I dispute that."
Right off the bat, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) - the top Democrat on the Health subcommittee - brought up an amendment requiring the committee to "examine how many children would lose healthcare coverage under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program under the Republican budget."
The irony wasn't lost on Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), who offered a counter-amendment requiring an analysis of how many children with private coverage would be forced to go into Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program under the healthcare reform law.
"We did not properly vet that in the previous Congress," he said.
Burgess further argued that the Republican budget is a vision statement rather than a specific policy proposal. Furthermore, he said, the Senate is unlikely to take action on it "because they never do."
Pallone countered that Republicans appeared to be "hiding" from the budget they passed in April. The budget would replace Medicare with subsidies for private insurance starting in 2022 and would turn Medicaid into a block grant program to states.
Burgess' amendment passed along party lines; Pallone's failed.
Other Democratic proposals to hold hearings on the budget's impact on nursing homes, seniors' premiums and veterans' families also failed to gain traction.
