In response to this scientific post by TPMDC, a Republican House leadership aide sends over a link to Bill Owens’ campaign website to suggest that Owens ought to oppose “the Pelosi health care bill”. Here are the key bullet points.
Bill Owens is opposed to:
- Opposes: Medicare benefit cuts. We can all agree that there are inefficiencies and waste in the system, but any savings should be used to strengthen Medicare.
- Opposes: Taxing health care benefits.
- Opposes: Increasing taxes on the middle class in any way.
Of these, the only one that could legitimately cause Owens any grief is the first. The House bill doesn’t tax health care benefits or the middle class. It does extract waste from Medicare, in part by reining in over-payments by Medicare Advantage plans, and those savings are not rerouted back into Medicare. But does that mean he should oppose the bill. It doesn’t sound like he thinks he should, but we have a call in to his campaign staff for some clarity.
