health care

Dino Rossi's campaign went after Gov. Gregoire today for her continued statements that Rossi is trying to "deregulate" the state's health care system, and often tired to tie his policy to that of the failed Wall Street practices that resulted in the recent federal bailout bill.

"Just like when Gregoire lied about stem cells and minimum wage, she is now lying about Dino wanting to ‘deregulate' the insurance industry," said Jill Strait, Rossi spokesman.

Gregoire has repeatedly called for him to state which specific mandates he would seek to cut. Rossi has not answered her question, and instead points to his plan's ability to allow people to choose which types of mandated plans they would want. Gregoire has suggested that would lead to an erosion of quality and access.

In a press release issued today the Rossi campaign once again said that the state's insurance industry is subject to regulation from the state insurance commissioner, and that Rossi would do nothing to change that. As a result the campaign suggests Rossi's plan to offer a system in which people are able to choose from a number of different insurance plans, many of which would not require the same coverage mandates the state currently calls for, cannot be called deregulation.

The state Democratic Party looks to increase the price of goods with renegotiation of treaties to make them enviro-friendly, labor-friendly, human-rights-friendly and just plain friendly to anyone who makes plenty of money in the good old U.S. of A.

On Tuesday Governor Chris Gregoire sent a letter to Mike Leavitt, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, asking him to rescind the August 17, 2007 directive of the HHS to diminish the Federal government's role in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). That bit from the office of the governor, no politics involved.

Yet the very same day, the Washington State Democratic Party issued a press release touting the same GAO and CRS studies that called the directive illegal, only this time under the prism of a crusading Governor vs. a scheming challenger. The subtitle of the release said, "Gov. Gregoire stands up for WA kids, Rossi stands with Bush."