Gordon Smith Flip Flop Alert: Medicare Physician Pay

Smith May Flip Flop Twice in 24 Hours, Watch Out Oregonians!

Jeff Merkley's campaign for U.S. Senate is issuing the second Gordon Smith Flip Flop Alert within 24 hours, warning Oregonians that Smith may decide to switch his position on Medicare physician pay in an election year.

While Smith has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time and opposed adequate pay for doctors that serve patients on Medicare, he may flip flop on this important issue in an election year in order to pretend he is a moderate, independent, and bipartisan.

The National Journal's Congress Daily reported today that Gordon Smith will likely support the Democratic plan to fix Medicare physician pay, and will be the lead Republican sponsor.

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), the ranking member of the Finance Committee, noted Smith's election year conversion.

"They obviously are going to get some Republicans because some Republicans are up for election."

[CongressDaily, 6/4/08]

Smith has been unwilling to fix problems with Medicare payments in the past:

In 2003, Smith voted against a similar fix proposed by Senator Clinton. The amendment would have extended funding for Medicare for six months at 2002 funding levels, so they wouldn't expire. The revenue-neutral amendment would have prevented cuts in Medicare payments to physicians. [Senate vote #21, 1/23/03]

Smith cast the DECIDING vote against an amendment to aid rural Medicare providers. The amendment would have increased Medicare reimbursements for rural health care providers, closing the rural-urban reimbursement gap. [Senate vote #89, 3/25/03]

Smith opposed reimbursements even when mistakes were made. In 2006, Smith opposed an amendment that would have allocated funding for reimbursements to pharmacies, states, and individuals for costs that should have been covered by the prescription drug plan but were incorrectly charged. [Senate vote #5, 2/2/06]

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Posted June 4, 2008
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