U.S. Rep. Space touts 'secured' health care commitments as GOP attacks

A group of Democrats slowed the process on health care in the U.S. House over the past month, citing a number of concerns about the proposal's effects on small businesses and rural hospitals. Among local electeds, this included U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, and Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville.

Space has since announced that he has secured commitments from Democratic House leadership that he claims will protect rural hospitals from closure, and shelter small businesses from increased health care costs. Space has noted that Congress now plans to put off consideration of the bill until September, to allow for more thorough deliberation on the process of health care reform.

Space represents the 18th District, whose area includes Nelsonville and part of northern Athens County, while Wilson represents the 6th District, whose area includes the city of Athens and all of the county that's not in Space's demesne.

Space sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has primary responsibility to draft the health care legislation. As one of seven fiscally conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats sitting on the committee, Space and the others raised concerns, leading to a sit-down at the White House with President Barack Obama.

Space now says that the understanding reached has alleviated the concerns of this group of Democrats.

"Getting this bill done right is far more important than getting it done fast," Space said in a prepared release. "The concessions I demanded from House leadership fix those concerns by exempting more small businesses from the coverage requirement, allowing hospitals to negotiate for reimbursement rates, and cutting costs."

Earlier this month, Space presented some of his "demands," saying that health care reform requires "bold cost containment in the current system," as well as changes in the payment rate for services to protect rural hospitals from bankruptcy, and a higher exemption rate for small businesses.

Space said in a release that the "bold new cost containment" will be put in place, but did not provide details of what those cost containments would include.

He also said that hospital reimbursement rates will not be tied to current Medicare rates, as previously proposed, and which he said would cause hospitals to lose money. Under the new deal, Space said, health-care providers will be able to negotiate reimbursement rates under the public option, just as they do with private health insurance companies.

Finally, Space said, the small-business exemption will be doubled, allowing businesses paying up to $750,000 in yearly payroll to have decreased financial responsibility for health care coverage. Space says this will allow thousands of small businesses in the 18th District to avoid these requirements.

"Our current system is spiraling out of control, pushing families into bankruptcy, and dropping or denying coverage for millions," Space said. "But the original proposal represented a misguided effort that would have done more harm than good to our rural hospitals and small businesses. I now have the time to take this bill home to my district to speak with my health care providers and constituents about how this will impact them... We still have a long way to go before this bill gets to a point where I am comfortable with it, but we made some significant progress."

Meanwhile, the National Republic Congressional Committee slammed Space for approving what they called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's health care "takeover."

"Unsurprisingly, Zack Space has sided with his party's anti-jobs agenda rather than the families he claims to represent," said NRCC spokesperson Ken Spain. "Space may be basking in the praise of his party bosses for selling out Ohio families once again, but that's little consolation for the families who will bear the brunt of this egregious legislation."

Spain said that as Space, Pelosi and Democratic leaders "issue a litany of self-congratulatory statements," Ohio families are, once again, "left out in the cold."

The anti-tax group Americans for Tax Reform attacked Wilson on the matter, asking why he agreed to a "backroom deal" on health care. The group said that the plan increases the tax rate paid by most small employers to nearly or over 50 percent. The group said the plan also "imposes a new payroll tax of 8 percent on successful small employers," and "slaps a punishing new tax on individuals of up to 2.5 percent of income."

"This doesn't even mention the fact that this 'compromise' will create a new federal entitlement that will wrack up more debt on our nation's credit card, and saddle future generations with crushing burdens," the group stated in a release. "Nor does it mention that the government will create a government-run health care plan into which everyone will be funneled."

Wilson does not sit on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that reached the deal.