As health care vote approaches, Nye remains undecided

As the House prepares to vote Sunday on a final version of health care overhaul legislation, U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye said Friday he has “serious concerns” that must be overcome for him to support the bill.

Nye, who is part of a dwindling group of House Democrats who have yet to signal their vote, said he hasn’t made up his mind but needs to see evidence that the legislation lowers the amount paid at a doctor’s office or a hospital.

“I’m going to make my decision based on the effect on the people I represent,” said Nye, whose 2nd Congressional District includes Virginia Beach, parts of Norfolk and Hampton and the Eastern Shore. “I still have serious concerns about if it will address the underlying issue of the cost of health care.”

At the same time, South Hampton Roads’ two other congressmen   know how they will vote. U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes  of Chesapeake  opposes the bill, saying it goes against the will of the American people. U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott  of Newport News  favors the bill, calling it a “historic step” toward improving health care.

All three said they have received unusually large numbers of e-mails, letters and phone calls  from constituents and others hoping to sway their votes.

Nye, like many undecided Democrats, has been the focus of extra attention. He has been courted or pummeled in e-mails, robocalls, newspaper ads  and TV commercials aimed at him directly or at people being urged to call his office. The first-term congressman, who is expected to face a tough election in the fall, said he doesn’t mind the attention.

“I think it’s a good thing. I’m hearing from people on all sides of the issue,” he said. “I asked for a tough job.”

The health care legislation he’ll be voting on is complex. Among other things, it will require most people to have some form of health insurance, ban insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions  and require many employers to offer  workers insurance or pay a government fee.

The bill would expand Medicaid to cover 16 million poor people without health insurance and offer subsidies to moderate-income people to buy health insurance.

Part of that extra government expense would be covered by higher taxes on more costly insurance plans and increasing the income tax on couples earning more than $250,000 and individuals earning more than $200,000.

Nye said he favors many of the provisions, including requirements that insurers no longer can reject  those with pre-existing conditions. But he said he needs to look
more closely at how the bill would affect small businesses.

Nye  objects to the bill’s proposal to cut supplemental Medicaid payments to children’s hospitals, including Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk. Nye said those hospitals could lose $16 billion under the current bill.

There is also concern that participants in the military’s Tricare health plan may be subject to some health care provisions, under the latest version of the bill. Under previous versions, Tricare patients were exempt.

Even with those issues, Nye said his predominant issue is reducing the cost of health care. He made the same argument in November when he voted against a similar health care bill that passed  the House.

The legislation being considered Sunday is a Senate-approved health care plan that has been amended by House Democrats. Details of the  bill were given to Nye and other House members  Thursday.

Nye said Friday that the Senate plan, approved Dec. 24,  didn’t take strong steps to reduce  the cost of care, but he needed to study details of the House leadership’s changes before he decides.

“We have to weigh the ups and the downs,” Nye said. “I support health care reform and I understand the need for reform, but it’s not reform at any cost.”

His Hampton Roads colleagues decided how they would vote long ago.

Forbes,  a Republican whose 4th District stretches from Chesapeake and Suffolk to rural areas west of Richmond, has been an unwavering opponent of all the Democrats’ health care plans. He argues they bring too much government involvement into people’s lives and will be too expensive.

He  favors  legislation to end the denial of pre-existing medical conditions, end any bans on insurance firms competing across state lines and allow  workers to  keep their health insurance if they change or lose their job. He also wants limits on malpractice awards.

Scott said he’s confident the bill will pass and looks forward to promoting his yes vote when he runs for re-election in November.

 “I can’t wait for someone to stand up at a debate and tell people – some of whom have pre -existing conditions and have insurance for the first time – why they want to repeal what we did,” Scott said with a laugh. “I can’t wait to watch that.”

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, who voted for the Senate bill in December, said if the  measure becomes law, it will require more work.

“This is a cobbled-together combination of reforms that in many cases don’t go far enough,” Warner said Friday. “But it will shock the system and force policymakers and providers – I hope … to get to the right solution.”

The New York Times contributed to this report.

Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398,
bill.bartel@pilotonline.com