Health care and the governor’s race
By Terri Hallenbeck, Free Press Staff Writer • Sunday, July 25, 2010
MONTPELIER — With Vermont health care costs
expected to rise by $1 billion during the next two
years, all five Democrats running for governor
say this issue is high on their list of things to
tackle as governor.
The candidates admit they sound an awful lot
alike on the issue. The phrase “quality,
affordable health care for all” reverberates as if
they’re in an echo chamber. They all put a lot of
weight on a pending report the Legislature
commissioned about how to solve the problem.
Burrow down, though, and voters will find
differences among the Democratic candidates,
and much greater differences between them and
the Republican that the winner of their primary
will face in November.
Democrats all say they would push the federal
government to offer coverage to more
Vermonters and to control costs. Meanwhile,
Republican Brian Dubie of Essex contends the s
tate’s hands are tied until 2017 by recently
passed federal legislation, and candidates who
say otherwise are being unrealistic.
“The best thing I would do is work to leverage
the federal law,” Dubie said, citing a requirement
for states to establish health insurance
exchanges by 2014 that would allow consumers
to shop for health insurance as one place he
would focus his energy. “I’m realistic. I’m going
to focus on where I can make a difference.”
Democratic candidate Matt Dunne of Hartland,
in a view echoed by his fellow Democratic
candidates, said the next governor can’t afford
not to pursue health-care reform, even if the
federal government has said it won’t grant
permission — in the form of waivers — for states
to experiment.
Read the entire article here: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100725/NEWS03/100724013/Health-care-and-the-governor-s-race#ixzz0uhC92fQ0
