February 25, 2010Printby Robert Friedmanrfriedman@prdailysun.net

WASHINGTON
There may be light at the end of the island’s health care tunnel. A White House statement Wednesday that President Obama’s health care proposal is not meant as the last word on the legislation could buoy hopes that Puerto Rico will receive improved treatment in any final legislative version that may be forthcoming on the reform.

While the conciliatory note apparently was made to Republicans a day before the president meets with them in a health care summit, it could also be seized on by Puerto Rico and the territories as they continue to try to get a better deal than was presented in Obama’s proposal. “It is important to understand that this proposal isn’t meant to be the final say on the legislation,” Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, said in an email reported by Reuters.

Republicans in Congress have remained staunchly united against Democratic plans for a sweeping health care revamp, and are expected to remain so after today’s nationally televised summit. Obama will work with both parties at the summit to find common ground, DeParle said.
Nevertheless, the White House apparently has not yet directly answered complaints by Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi and the territorial House delegates about the president’s proposal. Pierluisi summed up those complaints in a one-minute speech he made earlier Wednesday on the House floor.

While saying he supported health care reform, he added that he did not support the president’s proposal “because it treats 4.4 million Americans living in Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories like they are second-class citizens.” He said: “My loyalty to my [Democratic] party, and to our president, is beyond question. But my principles — and my people — come first. This proposal violates my principles and it mistreats my people.”

The resident commissioner noted that the federal government pays less than 25 percent of the cost of providing Medicaid services on the island. He called this “a national travesty.” Noting that the House health care measure moved toward improving the funding, the president’s plan, which drew mostly on the Senate health bill, “does not make a good faith effort to address this inequality,” Pierluisi said.
Pierluisi also was critical of the plan for excluding Puerto Rico from the health insurance exchange, which offers federal subsidies to help working people meet health insurance premiums. “I do not believe this proposal reflects the president’s thinking. And I cannot believe my colleagues will allow it to stand.” Pierluisi said. “The people of Puerto Rico and the other territories fight proudly for their country. Their country should fight for them too.”

Puerto Rico’s anger over Obama’s latest health care proposal was made known Tuesday as Gov. Fortuño called the plan “deceptive and discriminatory” and Pierluisi joining with House territorial delegates to tell the president that the treatment of the territories in the proposal is “clearly unfair.” Before the plan was released Monday, the Obama administration had given assurances that Puerto Rico, and the other territories, would get a much better health reform deal.

Fortuño said Wednesday he would ask the League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation’s largest Hispanic advocacy group, to voice its support in getting the White House to give better treatment to Puerto Rico and the territories in the health proposal. The governor was to be feted in the evening at a LULAC gala in the nation’s capital recognizing individuals who championed issues most important to the Latino community.

The LULAC event will cap Fortuño’s visit here this week. The governor met with members of Congress and other federal officials on health care, the rum battle with the U.S. Virgin Islands, political status and job legislation. Like Pierluisi, Fortuño also appeared to absolve the president from direct blame in ignoring Puerto Rico and the territories in his health care plan. “It appears that someone was not paying attention to the issue” when the plan was drawn up, the governor said. “It makes no sense” to give the island the short shrift after all the administration statements on how Puerto Rico would be given a just and fair treatment in the health reform, Fortuño said.