Ben Nelson Asks Senate Leaders To Delete Nebraska Medicaid Deal From Final Health Care Bill

[laughingliberal]

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is asking Senate leaders to eliminate a controversial Medicaid deal for his state in the health care bill.

The moderate Democrat, who provided the crucial 60th vote for the Senate health care bill, has been criticized because Nebraska was exempted paying any cost of a proposed expansion of Medicaid. <snip>

<snip> Nelson's been arguing ever since that he never wanted a special deal for Nebraska and that he wants all states protected from burdensome new costs.

That didn't quiet the controversy so Nelson took it one step further on Friday and asked for the deal to be withdrawn and replaced with a provision treating all states equally. <snip>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/15/ben-nelson-asks-senate-le_n_425304.html

Would be good if they replaced it with a provision where all states got what he got for Nebraska. Guess that would mean finding a new revenue source, though.

[jonathon]

1. How about taking the insurance profit out of it and giving that to the people?

:)

[DJ13]

2. Hold it over his head unless he compromises on something important

Like a PO.

How badly do you want to remove your embarrassment (and fodder for a reelection against you) Mr. Nelson?

[laughingliberal]

4. That's an idea. nt

[frazzled]

3. Too bad ...

Word was the deal was going to be they were going to give the extra Medicaid aid to ALL the states. That would have been the best outcome ever.

Once he heard tell of that, he wanted to remove Nebraska's perk.

Nelson never wanted this deal: it was what Harry Reid gave him. It was a good trick.

[tabatha]

5. I agree with you.

I always thought it was.

[BP2]

6. He seems to cave easily. With some pressure, he might cave and

support abortion in the HCR bill, too.