Joe Pitts: “We have all heard about the Cornhusker kickback and the Louisiana purchase. But there are other special deals in the…”

“We have all heard about the Cornhusker kickback and the Louisiana purchase. But there are other special deals in the Senate health care bill that are on the verge of becoming law. In Connecticut, there is $100 million for a university hospital inserted by Senator Dodd. There is $500 million in Medicaid to bail out the health care program in Massachusetts. The small State of Vermont gets $600 million for their Medicaid program. This bill will subsidize New Jersey pharmaceutical companies and will give $5 billion to union health care plans in Massachusetts and Michigan. It will slash Medicare Advantage programs for every State except Florida. It will exempt Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan and Nebraska from the new annual fee on health insurers. This bill will provide higher Medicare payments in North Dakota and exempt hospitals in Hawaii from cuts. All of these will become law the moment this House arrogantly 'deems this bill passed' to the President. Is it any wonder the American people don't like this bill being crammed through, forced through, and bribed through?”