No to health plan

The first vote Rep. Bill Owens cast after being sworn in to office last November was in favor of the House bill on health care reform. Now, it is still before Congress and headed for another House vote. In the interests of New Yorkers, Rep. Owens should reconsider his support and oppose the legislation.

Rep. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, will face intense pressure from special interest groups to join fellow Democrats and give them the slim margin needed to pass a revised version that will conform with the Senate plan. Just how the House will do that and what's in the bill right now remains unclear. But even in its broadest terms, the final version is expected to mirror the Senate plan.

It will be detrimental to New York, costly to businesses struggling to survive and packed with new mandates, government oversight and special treatment for some groups and states to win over wavering supporters.

So-called "Cadillac" health plans provided by employers would be hit by a hefty 40 percent excise tax to encourage presumably less expensive offerings and build savings starting in 2013. Cheaper plans, though, will likely mean higher deductibles, increased co-pays and less coverage for everyone. But plans covered by collective-bargaining units would be exempt from the tax for five years beyond that. It would not take effect until 2018 for teachers, health care workers and other unionized workers.

Some House Democrats oppose the tax. Instead, the House plan proposes a surtax on high-income Americans to pay for the bill that would require every American to have health insurance or pay a penalty. Either way, to cover costs for low-income Americans unable to afford insurance, legislation would provide federal subsidies paid for by other workers and employers.

New York state has been left out of several deals negotiated by the White House and congressional Democrats to win over support. Some objectionable deals might be eliminated, but some states would receive billions of dollars in federal Medicaid funds beyond what other states can expect. Gov. David A. Paterson has warned that the legislation will be costly to New York, which relies on Medicaid to expand state-sponsored insurance programs yet will not receive additional funding.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd secured $100 million included only for the construction of a hospital in his state.

Legislation could come before the House later this week; when it does, Congressman Owens should cast a no vote.