I think it is common knowledge that the vast majority of Republicans, save for a RINO or three, are completely against the health care reform bill. As of late, Harry Reid has been crafting a bill that he hopes gets passed; however, there is a twist to all of this: Reid, from all appearances, has inserted language into the bill that would incentivize certain areas of the country. Here’s the inside skinny, based on page 432 of the Reid bill:

SEC. 2006. SPECIAL ADJUSTMENT TO FMAP DETERMINATION FOR CERTAIN STATES RECOVERING FROM A MAJOR DISASTER.

Section 1905 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d), as amended by sections 2001(a)(3) and
2001(b)(2), is amended— (1) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘subsection (y)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (y) and (aa)’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

‘‘(aa)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (b), beginning January 1, 2011, the Federal medical assistance percentage for a fiscal year for a disaster-recovery FMAP adjustment State shall be equal to the following:
‘(A) In the case of the first fiscal year (or part of a fiscal year) for which this subsection applies to the State, the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the fiscal year without regard to this subsection and subsection (y), increased by 50 percent of the number of percentage points by which the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the fiscal year without regard to this subsection and subsection (y), is less than the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the preceding fiscal year after the application of only subsection (a) of section 5001 of Public Law 111–5 (if applicable to the preceding fiscal year) and without regard to this subsection, subsection (y), and subsections (b) and (c) of section 5001 of Public Law 111–5.

‘‘(B) In the case of the second or any succeeding fiscal year for which this subsection applies to the State, the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the preceding fiscal year under this subsection for the State, increased by 25 percent of the number of percentage points by which the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the fiscal year without regard to this subsection and subsection (y), is less than the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the preceding fiscal year under this subsection.

‘‘(2) In this subsection, the term ‘disaster-recovery FMAP adjustment State’ means a State that is one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia, for which, at any time during the preceding 7 fiscal years, the President has declared a major disaster under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and determined as a result of such disaster that every county or parish in the State warrant individual and public assistance or public assistance from the Federal Government under such Act and for which— ‘‘(A) in the case of the first fiscal year (or part of a fiscal year) for which this subsection applies to the State, the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the fiscal year without regard to this subsection and subsection (y), is less than the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the preceding fiscal year after the application of only subsection (a) of section 5001 of Public Law 111–5 (if applicable to the preceding fiscal year) and without regard to this subsection, subsection (y), and subsections (b) and (c) of section 5001 of Public Law 111–5, by at least 3 percentage points; and ‘‘(B) in the case of the second or any succeeding fiscal year for which this subsection applies to the State, the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the fiscal year without regard to this subsection and subsection (y), is less than the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for the State for the preceding fiscal year under this subsection by at least 3 percentage points.

‘‘(3) The Federal medical assistance percentage determined for a disaster-recovery FMAP adjustment State under paragraph (1) shall apply for purposes of this title (other than with respect to disproportionate share hospital payments described in section 1923 and payments under this title that are based on the enhanced FMAP described in 2105(b)) and shall not apply with respect to payments under title IV (other than under part E of title IV) or payments under title XXI.’’.

Basically folks, this section is offering increased Medicaid susidies to areas (or in this case, an area) that are recovering from a major disaster. If memory serves me correctly, one state automatically comes to mind (and don’t think that Reid didn’t factor this in when putting this bill together): Louisiana.

Remember Hurricane Katrina, people? The above section of the Reid bill can be translated into, for all intents and purposes, as a bribe. Keep in mind as to who represents the state of Louisiana: one MaryLandrieu – one of the Democrats who are against the bill. I’m gonna call this for what it really is: a bribe.

Now Landrieu faces a dilemma. Does she sign off on this piece of bribery legislation, or does she listen to the citizens of her home state? Should she relent and vote for the bill, she remains on the good side of the Democratic Party. On the other hand, if she listens to the citizens of Louisiana, she risks beng ostracized by the party that she belongs to. In other words, party standing vs. re-election.

I have a novel idea for Ms. Landrieu. Maybe she should let her conscience guide her decision on this bill and let the chips fall where they may. That’s an occupational hazard in the world of politics, folks, and Landrieu is fully realizing that. And to think that her political future will ride on a single vote. And as for Reid, he should be ashamed of himself for even inserting such language into a bill.

Photo: Life