Adding to the woes of the federal health care bill, HuffPostHill has this:
HEALTH REFORM PROGRAM’S COSTS RISING, NOT ATTRACTING PARTICIPANTS – Amy Goldstein: “One of the first parts of the new health care law ready for consumers – special health plans devoted to the insurance industry’s rejects – is attracting only a fraction of the predicted customers, prompting the Obama administration and states to step up their strategies to motivate people to buy them. At the same time, since the plans opened for business in the late summer and early fall, the medical bills so far are, in at least a few states, much higher than anticipated, raising the question of whether $5 billion that Congress has devoted to the program could run out even if relatively few people join.” [WaPo]
PRIOR POST Mon. Dec. 27th, 2010
Despite an earleir blog report at MontanaFesto suggesting that Montana Republicans would abandon an effort to support a repeal of Obamacare, legislative leaders appear poised to charge forward.
The Missoulian has this:
Republican lawmakers are drafting dozens of bills to defy, hinder or block the edicts of federal health reforms, while preparing other measures to enact changes they say are a better way to go.
“If you believe Obamacare breaks health care, then you have a decision to make whether you want to be a part of it or not,” says Sen.-elect Jason Priest, R-Red Lodge, who’s requested several bills opposing federal reforms. “But you can’t just fight Obamacare and ignore the problems in our state. You’re going to have to make a choice to both fight it and join in state-based reforms.”
As a party, Republicans have made it clear they’re adamantly opposed to Obamacare and dedicated to stopping it. Whether that means Lindeen’s efforts are dead on arrival at the 2011 Legislature remains to be seen.
I received an email from a listener who added this:
On December 24, we sent out two web-based articles concerning RINO’s (Republicans In Name Only) selling out efforts to stop and overturn the institution of Obamacare in Montana. (see articles below)
Conservative website “Montanafesto.wordpress.com” reported a “rumor” indicating that Republican leadership in the State Senate and House were discouraging members from introducing Anti-Obamacare bills into the 2011 Legislative session.
Several REAL Republicans serving in the Montana State Legislature who are on our email distribution list called to tell us that simply was NOT TRUE. There are several Anti-Obamacare bills being introduced into the 2011 Montana Legislature and they are going forward with and at the urging of Leader, Rep. Jeff Essman.