Romney to Smooth Talk New Hampshire Voters on Health Care

Granite State Republicans beware! Today, barely two weeks after Mitt Romney embraced President Bush's proposal for a new health care tax on middle class families, the smooth talking presidential wannabe is touring the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center as part of his effort to charm voters into forgetting his own tax-raising record on health care.

Following President Bush's State of the Union address, Romney rushed to embrace the President's new plan even though it would increase taxes on thousands of middle class Americans without increasing access to health care. [AP, 1/23/07] Romney's own health care plan in Massachusetts will cost consumers almost twice what he projected and will force thousands of Bay Staters who already have health insurance to buy more. [Boston Globe, 1/20/07; Boston Globe, 1/30/07] In addition to the plan, which has been dubbed a "Frankenstein's monster of tax penalties," Romney’s health care legacy in Massachusetts includes budget cuts for health care programs essential to Massachusetts hospitals and seniors. [Washington Times, 4/6/06]

"Mitt Romney can try all the smooth talk and photo-ops he wants, but his tax raising record on health care speaks for itself," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "No matter how hard he tries, the voters know that Romney’s health care agenda means raising taxes for working families, slashing key programs and embracing President Bush's new middle class health care tax."

Romney's Real Record on Health Care

Romney on Bush Health Tax Hike:

Romney Embraced Bush's Health Care Tax Hike. In a statement on President Bush's 2007 State of the Union address, Romney said, "I welcome President Bush's proposed initiatives to make health insurance more available and affordable." [Release, 1/23/07] But President Bush's plan would increase taxes on thousands of middle class Americans. President Bush's latest health care scheme means that "about 20 percent" of Americans "would see a tax increase - those workers whose health insurance cost more than the standard deduction." [AP, 1/23/07]

Romney's Own Health Care Tax:

Romney's Health Plan Will Lead to Higher Taxes, Says Wall Street Journal. "[Romney’s health insurance] law is far from the market-based approach the Governor claimed... the state is forcing people to buy insurance many will need subsidies to afford, which is a recipe for higher taxes and more government intervention down the road." [Editorial, Wall Street Journal, 4/12/06]

Washington Times: Romney's Health Plan "Frankenstein's Monster of Tax Penalties" and Expanded Government Programs. Romney's health insurance plan "is a Frankenstein's monster of tax penalties, expanded government-insurance programs and unfunded mandates." [Editorial, Washington Times, 4/6/06]

Sticker Shock: Romney Health Plan to Cost Almost Twice Romney's Estimates. "A state panel says a package filling the minimum requirements for coverage under the state's new health insurance will cost $380 a month on average for an individual, almost twice what former Gov. Mitt Romney projected... Advocates for the uninsured were stunned at the proposed price, which they said could undermine the goal of universal coverage. John McDonough, executive director of Health Care for All, an advocacy group that supports the health law, called the price 'a significant disappointment...' Romney had projected monthly costs at $200 when he first proposed universal coverage. And based on information from actuaries reviewed by the board last fall, the panel had expected to get plans with a premium of about $260." [Boston Globe, 1/20/07]

Romney Plan Could Force 200,000 Insured Bay Staters to Buy Even More or Face Fine. "More than 200,000 people with health insurance would have to buy additional coverage to meet proposed minimum standards under the state's new health insurance law, according to a count completed by insurers yesterday… Individuals would face a fine of about $200 next year and more in future years, if they do not have insurance that meets the standards. 'It's very troubling,' said Richard Lord, president of Associated Industries of Massachusetts and a member of the Connector board. 'The new law was about expanding access for people without any health insurance. I don't think we should be forcing people who do have some coverage to spend more.'" [Boston Globe, 1/30/07]

Romney's Budgets Shortchange Hospitals, Seniors:

FY 05: Romney Vetoed $11.7 Million in Medicaid Payments to Hospitals; MTF Recommended Override. On June 30, 2004, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation recommended that the legislature override Romney-Healey veto of, "$11.7 million in Medicaid payments to hospitals that serve a disproportionate share of publicly funded patients, which would help relieve the financial strain caused by Medicaid rates that are far below the cost of services." [Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, 6/30/04]

FY 04: Romney Budget Eliminated Senior Pharmacy Program. On February 28, 2003 the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center evaluated the Romney administration's FY 2004 budget and reported that, "the Senior Pharmacy Program that provides drug coverage for the elderly has been eliminated, a cut of $85 million." [Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 2/28/03]

FY 05: Romney Vetoed Eliminated Funding for Prescription Co-Pays for Low-Income Seniors from the Legislature's Budget. On July 2, 2005, the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center reported that for FY 05, the Romney-Healey administration's "vetoed $5 million that would have supported the reduction in co-payments for prescriptions for elders at or below 188 percent of the federal poverty level... The Governor's veto eliminates funding for this line item entirely." [Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 7/2/05]

FY 06: Romney Vetoed $45 Million in Funding for Senior Care Plan. On July 26, 2005 the Massachusetts Budget and Policy reported that the Romney administration vetoed, "$45.0 million in the Senior Care Plan line item; this veto eliminated specific provisions related to nursing home rate increases," from the final FY 06 budget. [Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 7/7/05]

FY 07: Romney Cut Prescription Advantage Program by 35.4 Percent. On February 1, 2006 the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center analyzed Romney's FY 2007 budget proposal and found that the administration appropriated, "$59.6 million for the Prescription Advantage program, a $32.7 million [35.4 percent] reduction from FY 2006. An outside section of the Governor’s budget recommendations would authorize the Department of Elder Affairs to establish levels at which the Prescription Advantage program would provide supplemental assistance as a secondary payer for Medicare Part D or other prescription plans." [Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 2/1/06]

FY 07: Romney Cut $210 Million from MassHealth Senior Care Plans. On February 1, 2006 the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center analyzed Romney-Healey's FY 2007 budget proposal and found that the sdministration, "recommends $1.681 billion for the MassHealth Senior Care Plans. This is a $210 million [6 percent] reduction, $102 million of which is anticipated savings associated with a change in the methodology for establishing nursing home reimbursement rates." [Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 2/1/06]