Judd Gregg: “there is general feeling that the Baucus proposal is--I don't use this in a pejorative sense--benign enough so that…”

“there is general feeling that the Baucus proposal is--I don't use this in a pejorative sense--benign enough so that everybody can agree to it. But I do think it is important to understand, relative to the Medicaid issue, that Governors, in a bipartisan way, have come forward and put down some proposals that are really creative, where they feel they can dramatically expand coverage and significantly save money. Some of those do involve using copays of some sort relative to higher income individuals. Having been a Governor--and I know there are other former Governors in this Chamber--I think the flexibility the Governors want is reasonable. I hope we will come back from conference with language that will give Governors the flexibility necessary to allow them to do creative things in the Medicaid accounts which will save us money, save the States money, and end up with more coverage. That should be our game plan-- more people being covered. I think it is doable because a creative Governor who has energy and guts and staff people who are effective-- and most Governors do--can do a lot if they are given flexibility and the ability to move forward without being straitjacketed by Federal regulations. So that will be our goal in conference. I don't think it is inconsistent with what the Senator from Montana has proposed.”