December 24, 2009

Governor Riley Asks Attorney General to Expand Investigation into Senate Health Care Shenanigans

MONTGOMERY - Governor Bob Riley today called on Attorney General Troy King to expand his investigation of the financial deals that led to the passage of the U.S. Senate’s health care reform bill and determine whether the Obama Administration has arranged any other dollars-for-votes schemes for certain states.

In a letter to Attorney General King, Governor Riley offered the assistance of Alabama’s Medicaid experts in the investigation of the Senate health care shenanigans, but asked that King go further to determine whether other deals have been arranged to alleviate federal funding mandates for certain states in order to win votes. It was recently revealed that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid worked out special deals that allow the federal government to pay for increased costs of expanded Medicaid programs in the states of Nebraska and Louisiana in exchange for key votes from their senators. Reid also worked out a special financial arrangement for his home state of Nevada.

These deals, Governor Riley explained, come at a time when Alabama has been negotiating in good faith with the federal government to work out a long-running dispute over fairness in federal funding for the state’s Medicaid program.

“It is one thing for Democrats in Washington, DC, to claim they’re enacting health care reform by saddling the people of Alabama with the enormous cost of a federally-mandated expansion of Alabama’s Medicaid program,” Governor Riley wrote. “It is absolutely unconscionable that they would now saddle Alabamians with the cost of Nebraska’s and Louisiana’s Medicaid expansion, too.”

“Therefore, I am requesting that you expand your investigation to include not only deals that may have been cut regarding provisions in this legislation, but also any other deals or arrangements with this Administration that alleviate, in any way, a particular state’s burden to provide financing for any federal program in order to secure the votes needed to pass this legislation.”

The vast knowledge gained by Alabama’s Medicaid professionals in the negotiations could benefit the Attorney General’s efforts, Governor Riley said.

“As you have joined with a coalition of attorneys general forming across the country to investigate this matter, I am recommending you employ any and all resources at your disposal to facilitate an immediate, legitimate, and credible response to determine whether there has been a breach of constitutional authority. Since these questionable deals favor a few states while threatening the very viability of Alabama’s Medicaid program, I have instructed Medicaid Commissioner Carol Steckel to make the full resources of her office available to you as you move forward.”

Governor Riley's Letter to Attorney General Troy King