RendellCare Version 1.2

Governor Rendell has now stated that he won't sign the extension of the MCare program (which funds medical malpractice claims) unless it includes funding of his Cover All Pennsylvania (CAP) plans.

His plan would use the MCare surplus to fund CAP for the first year (along with new tobacco taxes and other existing revenue streams); which would get around objections to his payroll tax proposal. He thinks he can pass this because "I have heard only one criticism: that the CAP funding plan included a Fair Share Assessment (FSA) to help cover the costs". (If he looked, he could have found criticisms here and here and here and here and here and listened to some here and here.)

Of course, his plan is for one year of funding, the program would either have to not grow or even end (HA!), be funded through cuts elsewhere (HA! HA!) , or paid for with a tax increase.