In a letter dated Monday, Republican state Reps. Kurt Wright, Patti Komline and Heidi Scheuermann say the arrogant and disrespectful comments by Professor Jonathan Gruber will undermine Vermonts health care reform efforts. Gruber has a $450,000 contract with the state of Vermont to help develop a financing mechanism for the states proposed single payer health care system. WCAX-TV reports Shumlin condemned Grubers remarks, but said the state will continue to depend on him for his economic analysis of single-payer. Gruber, reached by email, declined to comment. Read a copy of the letter the three legislators sent to governor Shumlin at this link: scribd/doc/246893066/PDF-Letter-to-Gov-Shumlin-from-3-VT-lawmakers Here is the content of the letter: STATE OF VERMONT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES USSTATESTREET MONTPELIER, VT 05633-5201 November 17, 2014 The Honorable Peter E. Shumlin Governor, State of Vermont 109 State Street, Pavilion Montpelier, Vermont 05609 Dear Governor Shumlin, No doubt you have spent the last week taking stock of your administration?s actions over the last few years, deciding what changes are necessary going forward into the next session. One of the most pressing issues we will face is the vetting of your single payer? health care proposal. As we begin the session, we are still without Act 48?s important details, particularly your legally overdue financing proposal. Arguably, the failure to come up with a financing plan that could have been shared with the public prior to the election, in addition to the failure of Vermont Health Connect, were among the reasons that the election for Governor was historically close. Therefore, as we go forward debating the details of your plan, including the very important financing mechanism you will propose, it is critical that we can assure Vermonters that transparency will be a vital part of that process and all views, questions, and concerns will be respected. This, unfortunately, is in doubt at this time, so our concerns arent unwarranted ones. Consider the actions of last November in a Health Care Committee meeting. Department of Vermont Health Access Commissioner Mark Larson admitted to withholding information about a security breach with regard to Vermont Health Connect. In response, you acknowledged in a WCAX interview on November 25, 2013, that your staff must be absolutely transparent with legislators but, in this instance, failed. Then last August, your staff shared confidential healthcare documents with four legisiators, claiming Executive Privilege in order to avoid open meeting laws; a distinction without a difference, given that this was a breach of the separation of powers, fundamental to defending Executive Privilege. Once again, transparency in this case was thwarted. The single most egregious issue, however, is Vermont?s $450,000 contract with MIT Professor Jonathan Gruber, an individual about whom we have serious concerns. It is our understanding that Mr. Gruber helped write the report that was used as the basis for Act 48 and now continues in a contract to help develop its financing plan. As you know, Mr. Gruber has been at the center of a national controversy over comments he made regarding the creation ofthe Affordable Care Act. Several videos have surfaced in which Mr. Gruber makes statements relative to his strategy on enacting Obamacare. In one particular video, Gruber says, Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really, really critical to getting the thing to pass. in another, one that hits closer to home, Mr. Gruber displayed that same arrogant behavior right here in Vermont. In a committee meeting in Montpelier on February 11, 2011, Gruber responded to legitimate concerns raised by Vermonters about your single-payer health care proposal by mocking the concerns and laughineg saying, ?Was this written by my adolescent children by any chance?? While Vermont?s Health Care Reform Chief Lawrence Miller called these statements appalling and unacceptabie, he has indicated that you will continue to employ Mr. Gruber. He said, We are only going to use his economic analysis and not any of his other advice. Mr. Governor, we dont think you can rely on the ?stupidity? of Vermont voters to accept this. This arrogant and disrespectful attitude is totaily unacceptable and will undermine the entire process and debate going forward if Mr. Gruber continues. No one who speaks of Americans, and therefore Vermonters, as stupid, or who boasts of a process that has a lack of transparency? should remain under contract, being paid by the very people he has insulted. In our opinion, Mr. Gruber has disqualified himself and we urge you to terminate his contract immediately. Failure to do so will only further erode Vermonters confidence in a process that has already left much to be desired. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Representative Kurt Wright Representative Patti Komline Representative Heidi Scheuermann
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 00:55:55 +0000
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