Scott Brown Responds To Martha Coakley's Misleading Health Care Distortions

Press Release

U.S. Senate candidate Scott Brown issued the following statement in response to Martha Coakley's negative and untrue attacks on the topic of health care:

"It's disappointing that Martha Coakley is attempting to deceive voters with her demonstrably false statements on my health care record. We have sharply different views on the health care bill in Washington," Brown said.

"Time and again, Martha has said she would be the 60th vote for a health care bill that will slash Medicare by a half-trillion dollars, raise taxes and increase spending. As the 41st Republican Senator, I would insist we start over on health care and craft a bipartisan bill that will lead to meaningful reform."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Coakley Is Claiming That She Will Protect Medicare, Despite The Fact That The National Health Care Bill Could Cut Medicare By $500 Billion:

Coakley: "I Will Make An Iron-Clad Commitment To Protecting Social Security And Medicare." (Martha Coakley Statement, "Coakley Highlights Commitment To Seniors At Senior Center," www.marthacoakley.com, 1/13/10)

The Senate Health Care Bill Would Cut Medicare By Approximately $500 Billion. "The Senate passed a historic $871 billion health care reform bill Thursday morning, handing President Barack Obama a Christmas victory on his top domestic priority. . . . The Senate bill also cuts Medicare by roughly $500 billion. ("Senate Passes $871 Billion Health Care Reform Bill," CNN Money, money.cnn.com, Posted 12/24/09)

The Senate Health Care Bill Would Remove $43 Billion From Medicare Home Health Services. "The House bill would slice $55 billion over 10 years from projected Medicare spending on home health services, while the Senate bill would take $43 billion." (Robert Pear, "Home Care Patients Worry Over Possible Cuts," The New York Times, 12/4/09)

Coakley Is Smearing Scott Brown's Record: Coakley: "Brown Filed A Bill That Could Allow Insurance Companies To Deny Coverage For Hospice Care." (Martha Coakley Statement, "Coakley Highlights Commitment To Seniors At Senior Center," www.marthacoakley.com, 1/13/10)

Scott Brown's Amendment Would Remove Burdensome Mandates That Drive Up The Price Of Insurance: Scott Brown Wants To Remove Burdensome Insurance Regulations That Drive Up Prices. Scott Brown: "Our focus should be on containing costs in our current state health insurance program. One way to tackle that issue is by removing burdensome insurance regulations that drive up the price of insurance policies." (Scott Brown, Remarks On Health Care, brownforussenate.com, 12/29/09)

"Brown Said Insurers Should Be Free To Put Together Policies That Are Tailored For The Needs Of Their Customers. If Someone Wants Chiropractic Care, They Should Purchase A Policy That Includes It, But No One Should Be Required To Buy It If They Don't Want Or Need It." (Scott Brown, Remarks On Health Care, brownforussenate.com, 12/29/09)

The Current Health Care Bill That Martha Coakley Supports Will Dramatically Increase Taxes And Spending: "In A New Analysis, The Chief Actuary Of The Federal Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services Found That The Senate Version Of Major Health Care Legislation Would Increase Total National Health Spending From 2010 To 2019 By $222.3 Billion, or 0.6 percent, more than projected under current law. The findings by the chief actuary, Richard S. Foster, were generally consistent with his previous reports on earlier versions of the legislation." (David M. Herszenhorn, "Actuary Still Sees Increase in Health Spending," The New York Times, 1/9/10)

"[T]he Proposed 40 Percent Excise Tax On High-Cost Health Plans Would Hit More And More People Over Time, Virtually Guaranteeing Lawmakers Would Feel Pressure To Ease The Tax." ("Study Finds Slight Cost Increase in Senate Health Bill," The Associated Press, 1/10/10)

"The Senate Health Care Bill Could End Up Hitting Middle-Class Workers Hard, Through A New Tax On Insurance Plans That Could Ultimately Cut Through To Their Wages." ("Health Care Countdown: Senate Bill Could Hit Middle Class Hard," FOXNews.com, 1/4/10)

Massachusetts Residents Get A Raw Deal In The Health Care Bill: Boston Herald Editorial: "Yesterday we told you about that $500 million Massachusetts will get toward its Medicaid costs over the next three years. Well Vermont will get $600 million. And, of course, Nebraska will get the full cost of its Medicaid expansion paid in perpetuity. How can that be? And lucky Floridians, they'll be able to keep their Medicare Advantage plans. Not so people in Massachusetts or anywhere else in the nation. Some 27 million Medicare Advantage participants are scheduled to lose those benefits. How can that be right?" (Editorial, "What Has Senate Done?" The Boston Herald, 12/24/09)

Boston Herald Editorial: "[L]ocal hospitals know that the proposed cuts elsewhere in Medicare rates will be devastating." (Editorial, "What Has Senate Done?" The Boston Herald, 12/24/09)

Boston Herald Editorial: "The health care industry is this state's largest private sector employer, providing jobs for nearly half a million people. No $500 million three-year grant is going to make up for the dislocations this national bill will have on our local economy." (Editorial, "What Has Senate Done?" The Boston Herald, 12/24/09)

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