The state Senate voted 32-4 this afternoon to quash the 3 percent physician tax House Democrats hoped would stave off massive cuts to the Medicaid program.
The 3 percent tax on non-Medicaid physician services would have generated an estimated $300 million in revenue. It also would have generated an additional $822.3 million in federal Medicaid revenue.
The additional revenue would have been used to increase reimbursement rates to Medicaid providers, possibly encouraging more doctors to participate in the Medicaid program. The tax was seen by the Granholm administration as a way to raise revenue to help plus the state's $2.8 billion deficit.
Mickey Switalski had been working hard on this issue, seeking to find compromise with doctors and the Senate Republicans so we can continue to receive this Medicaid funding. Now, we have to put him on the list of "Democrats That Bishop Screwed Over", right behind Andy Dillon.
You guys learn your lesson yet?
Without any prior announcement or discussion, the Republican Majority called for a vote on an expansion of the Quality Assessment Assurance Program to physicians as it was approved in the House. Democrats pointed out that following a recent extensive hearing on the subject, a number of suggestions for improvement were discussed, yet the Majority allowed for debate or action on none of them today.
“All this does is further erode the public confidence in our ability to work together or get anything done, and that's a shame,” said Senator Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville) a sponsor of similar legislation who had been involved in negotiations and personally offered numerous times to work on a compromise. “This kind of maneuvering just sets us further back in the process and they know it.”
Mike Bishop and the Senate Republicans have no intention of seeking compromise on this or any other issue. That should be very obvious by now. They intend on destroying this state, and then turning around and blaming the Democrats for it in the next election. It's already started with the cuts on K-12, it will come on the rest of these issues as well.
So, how is "the plan" working out for us now, Speaker Dillon? House Democrats better take a tip from Mike Prusi and start calling this out for what it is.
“This is exactly the kind of gamesmanship that has created our budget mess and rightly ticked off the public, and we're not going to be a part of it anymore,” said Senate Democratic Leader Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming). “Our caucus has consistently offered solutions that could be worked out through honest debate and compromise, but the Senate Republicans seem completely unwilling and unable to meet anyone halfway.”
Thank you Senator. We hope to see a similar statement from your fellow Democrats across the hall... any second now....
UPDATE: Here is Senator Prusi's statement about how the Republicans are playing games with Michigan's problems. It's a must watch. He's pissed.
Senate Republicans also played this same game with Martha Scott's insurance bill - they sent the bill to the floor, without debate, without hearings, only so they could defeat it.
The Democrats are obviously being "punished" for something here today; must be Bishop has his knickers in a twist again. Too bad the citizens of Michigan are going to have to pay the price for his tyrannical behavior.