AZ congressional delegation votes along party lines on health care bill
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a contentious health reform plan Sunday that includes mandates for expansions of Medicaid and coverage for young adults and other without medical insurance.
Arizona's congressional delegation split along party lines with the state's five Democrats voting in favor of the bill and three Republicans opposing it.
The bill does not include creating a public option, government system to operate along side private insurers, but it does restrict private companies from limiting coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
The health care vote and the economy are expected to be key issues in GOP efforts to unseat U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick of Flagstaff, Gabrielle Giffords of Tucson and Harry Mitchell of Tempe.
“I am putting my district first again by voting for this reform package. Health insurance reform is critical to ending denials of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, making sure our children can get the care they need and protecting our seniors from unaffordable prescription drug costs, Kirkpatrick said in a statement instant payday loan.
"I was able to make important improvements to this bill, including addressing the potential costs for AHCCCS," she said. AHCCCS is Arizona's Medicaid program and previous plans created concerns that some states, such as Arizona, would lose out on federal matching funds.
Mitchell said in a statement released Sunday that rising health care costs are burdening the economy and stifling recovery.
"We cannot sustain the path we are on because health care costs are burdening Arizona families, hurting the economy and slowing the recovery,” Mitchell said.
Joanna Burgos, spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the passage of the legislation will hurt the economy because of mandates and spending, and that Giffords and Mitchell bowed to pressure from the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.