Florida leaders at odds on health-care bill

The Senate’s health-care reform bill gets mixed reviews from Florida leaders as it heads toward final passage. Bill Nelson mostly likes it. George LeMieux deplores it. And Charlie Crist says it would “cripple state economies.” “I firmly believe this legislation will provide more affordable coverage for millions of uninsured Americans, prevent insurance companies from dropping folks who get sick and stop them from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions,” said Florida Senator Nelson, a Democrat. “The legislation will also help reduce the country’s deficit.” Nelson’s opinion of the bill improved when he was able to add a provision to shelter many current enrollees in private Medicare Advantage plans from potential cutbacks to benefits. “The legislation in the Senate certainly doesn’t have everything l want, like forcing drug companies to lower prices for prescriptions covered under Medicare or allowing seniors to

import lower-cost drugs from Canada,” Nelson said. “But no piece of legislation does.” Governor Crist, a Republican who is running for a Senate seat, said he was “thoroughly disappointed” the bill cleared a key procedural vote in the middle of the night. “The plan will cripple state economies and add half a trillion dollars in new taxes on top of half a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts,” he said. Senator LeMieux, a Republican, spoke out against the final Senate bill when it was unveiled over the weekend. “This bill still cuts Medicare for seniors, it still raises taxes, and it still does nothing to lower the costs of health insurance,” LeMieux said. Democratic leaders appear to have the votes needed to pass the bill this week.

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Florida leaders at odds on health-care bill

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