LANSING ? Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger said Thursday that an August 27 vote on Medicaid expansion would provide just enough time for the federal government to approve waivers requested in the legislation.
Bolger (R-Marshall), in an interview with Gongwer News Service, said it’s not up to him to say if the Senate should vote before August 27, a vote date Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) recently said could be possible (See Gongwer Michigan Report, July 17, 2013). Rather, Bolger said he trusts the Senate at its word, and expects the chamber will take a vote on HB 4714 .
“In the meantime, we are going to continue to work with them,” he said. “They’ve got some ideas that could improve the bill and we are wide open to that.”
Still, Bolger said a late August vote “makes it very tight” to have enough time to get the waivers needed from the federal government.
“The federal government would need at least 90 days, so there’s no extra time in there,” he said. “However, the federal government continues to say it is very interested, so it will be up to them and incumbent upon them: Do they want to accept Michigan’s conditions or not?”
Bolger said he has also heard some other ideas outside of the House’s Medicaid legislation that he is hesitant to accept. He said they would cost the state much more money than the House Medicaid plan.
“The House passed its plan to improve individual health, to address the uncompensated care and uninsured needs, but also to protect taxpayers in the short term to provide those savings, (and) protect them in the long term,” he said. “So if something were offered, I’ve got an open mind, I would take a look. But I’m going to be very concerned if it doesn’t protect the taxpayers. Some of the ideas I have seen would cost Michigan taxpayers significantly more, as would doing nothing.”
TRANSPORTATION: Bolger said transportation hasn’t moved to the back burner due to Medicaid discussions continuing during the summer, but he is concerned that House Democrats aren’t offering approval of currently introduced legislation, nor are they offering other ideas.
“We continue to not see ideas put forth by our colleagues across the aisle. We have had productive conversations,” he said. “But they have not offered ideas on the table. The governor offered an initial proposal, and then the House has bills introduced and has been debating those in committee. We have not been told that the Democrats would support that and we haven’t been given any other solutions by the Democrats. I am growing in concern on whether or not they want to participate in solving the problem.”
Bolger said if House Democrats are not interested in supporting a plan to generate $1.2 billion in additional revenue for the state’s infrastructure, then the House Republicans would have to work on a plan that would get 56 Republican votes in support.
“We’re open to all ideas,” he said. “We’re interested in working together, but it takes two to work together. If they want to bring any proposals forward, we’re willing to look at them.”
MILLER ALLEN DEPARTURE: Bolger said that some Democrats insisting his chief of staff and longtime head Republican staffer, Suzanne Miller Allen, is leaving her post for an external affairs position with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan due to the late-August scheduled grand jury decision on Bolger’s involvement in former Rep. Roy Schmidt’s election scandal is laughable.
“I can’t help but laugh and wonder tonight, when the sun sets, if they’ll be convinced there is some conspiracy behind the sun setting,” he said.
Bolger said he will take his time to find Allen’s replacement, although he said she can’t really be replaced given her skills and experience. Bolger also said Allen will assist him in finding a new chief of staff.
“I plan to continue to pick her brain,” he said.
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