February 19, 2010 Richard Cordray Ohio Attorney General 30 East Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Dear Attorney General Cordray, We are writing to you in regard to the federal healthcare debate that continues in Washington D.C. As more details emerge from the debate and closed-door discussions, we grow more concerned for the state of Ohio and the hardworking taxpayers of our state. One concern that we have involves the provision that exempts the state ofNebraska from paying what all other states will be forced to pay for this mandated healthcare coverage. From what we understand, a deal was arranged in order for the senate leadership to garner the Nebraska senator ’s vote for this healthcare proposal. How is it fair to taxpayers in other states if these back- door deals say if you vote for this legislation, your taxpayers back home in Nebraska do not have to pay their share of this healthcare mandate? This deal is an unfair way to handle the healthcare debate and Ohio’s taxpayers are being placed at a financial disadvantage. We also have concerns with the proposal that allows Florida citizens to keep their Medicare Advantage plan at no additional cost to the state. Why should Florida’s Medicare recipients have an advantage over Ohio’s and receive bettercoverage? We believe that Ohio taxpayers are being placed at a disadvantage during the discussions that are occurring at the federal level. Though the outcome of the final legislative product remains to be seen, we question the constitution ality ofthe deals that were reached for the states of Nebraska and Florida. We respectfully urge you to join other Attorney Generals from across the United States to file a lawsuit on behalf of the hardworking tax payers of Ohio and challenge these “exclusive” behind -the-scene deals should they become a part of the final legislation. We are encouraged that you have written to the Ohio Congressional delegation to express your concern with the Nebraska language that is currently being discussed. We invite you to sign onto a letter that our caucus will be sending to the Ohio delegation to convey our concerns. As Ohio’s economy and tax dollars are critical, this should be a non-partisan issue that we can unite together to show the federal government that Ohio’s hardworkin g citizens will not foot the expanded Medicaid program for other state’s citizens. We lookforward to you joining us to convey this message. Respectfully Submitted,
