Max Baucus: “That letter points out the glaring defects of the waiver process the administration talks about. First, the Government…”

“That letter points out the glaring defects of the waiver process the administration talks about. First, the Government is amorphous, as I said. Second, the waiver kind of promises money to hospitals for uncompensated care. It does not say how it is going to happen. It is very unclear. It is very amorphous. I might say, at that point, for 9/11 FEMA was billed for several items, and FEMA did not pay for it. In this case the administration, in the waiver process, says, well, there might be some money for hospitals for all the uncompensated care they have provided. It is a promise. Who knows if it is empty or not empty. There are no dollars behind it. We have dollars in our legislation. It is $800 million. It goes for uncompensated care to hospitals. You talk to the administrators of the hospitals in these areas--Louisiana, New Orleans; other States, Arkansas, Texas--that are overwhelmed--and most of this is uncompensated care--they need help. We are providing it in this bill, $800 million. We also provide help for people who need care, who do not have health insurance, who live up to 100 percent of poverty. They are not wealthy people: only up to 100 percent of poverty, and 200 percent of poverty for mothers who have children, pregnant women and children. That is not very much. But no, we cannot pass that. Senators say that is too much. That might be wasteful. I don't get it. I don't get it. It reminds me of when I graduated from high school.…”