Reps. Ortiz, Hinojosa expected to support health reform; Cuellar unsure

McALLEN — The Rio Grande Valley’s three Democratic congressmen wouldn’t say how they would vote on legislation to expand healthcare coverage, but two are expected to support President Barack Obama’s signature issue when it comes to a vote Sunday.

Democratic leaders have predicted they’ll be able muster the 216 votes they need to pass the bill if they bring it to the floor Sunday as expected.

Reps. Solomon Ortiz, Corpus Christi, and Rubén Hinojosa, Mercedes, wouldn’t confirm how they would vote Sunday but are expected to vote for the legislation.

Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo says he is still unsure how he’ll cast his vote.

“I want to be sure there are no federal dollars going to be used on abortion,” Cuellar said. “I want to see health care, but I want to be dutiful on making a decision and continue talking to my constituents.”

Cuellar and the other congressmen said they are also concerned with how hospitals would be reimbursed for uninsured patients under the new law.

Ortiz spokesman Jose Borjon said the congressman was not entirely comfortable with the language regarding abortions. Critics of the bill want an amendment from Michigan Democrat Rep. Bart Stupak that would bar federal dollars from funding abortions to be included in the final legislation.

“He has been supportive of health care,” Borjon said. “He wants to make sure the language in the bill will ensure that federal funding is not used for abortion.”

Connie Humphrey, Hinojosa’s chief of staff, said he is also concerned how Valley hospitals will fare because the legislation would reduce payments to hospitals for treating uninsured patients. Hospitals are required to treat anyone who shows up to an emergency room.

“The overall assumption is Congress was that because fewer people would be uninsured, the need for (the payments) will be significantly reduced,” she said. “In many parts of the country it will be true … but in inner cities and along the border, we will actually end up with even higher Medicaid populations.”

The McAllen Tea Party organized last-minute protests outside the Valley offices of Cuellar and Hinojosa, hoping to suade them away from the bill.

Top among the group’s many criticisms was how the bill would require all Americans to buy health insurance.
“Never has there been anything that the federal government has required us to buy … it’s unconstitutional,” said organizer Sandy Propst.

The Congressional Budget Office’s estimation that the legislation will reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion in the first decade, but Propst said many are still concerned with how the government will pay for such a massive expansion of services.

The Valley’s congressional offices have been inundated with phone calls from constituents both for and against the legislation. Cuellar also said he’s been meeting with several Valley health care administrations concerning the bill.

Sean Gaffney covers business, the economy and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4434.