Why is Sestak Flip-Flopping on Health Care – Perhaps Because Pat Toomey is Right?
 
Allentown – After months of disingenuously attacking Pat Toomey for supporting true competition in health care, Congressman Sestak is finally admitting that Pat was right all along.
 
In a stunning reversal, Congressman Joe Sestak told ABC News yesterday that he supports allowing individuals to buy health insurance anywhere in the country, not just in their home states. (WPVI ABC, 10/06/10)
 
Last fall, when Congressman Sestak and Pat met in a health care debate, Congressman Sestak had this to say about Pat’s proposed reform to allow individuals to buy insurance across stateliness: 

“And so people talk about requirements – yes, we can deregulate and let state people in Pennsylvania citizens buy in Alabama or Georgia, but here’s what happens, as the United States president of the National Association Commissioner said, it will be a race to the bottom.  People of headquarters or domiciles in a place like Alabama, when you have a problem, take it up with the Commissioner in Alabama, not here.  They’ll put headquarters in a place like states do that have no appeal process and they’ll put it in a place where maternity services aren’t required and then they’ll cherry pick the rich and the healthy.” (Town Hall Debate, 09/02/09)
 
It only took Congressman Sestak 13 months to admit the truth.  In another 13 months, he may even come to acknowledge that his massive health care bill is imposing billions of dollars in tax increases on the middle class and that the new government mandates will put government bureaucrats between doctors and their patients.  Already, Mercy Hospital in Scranton is closing, in part, because of the burdens imposed by Congressman Sestak’s health care bill (WNEP, 10/06/10).  Perhaps, in a couple of months, Congressman Sestak might actually admit it.
 
Unfortunately, Pennsylvanians don’t have time for Congressman Sestak to play politics for months.  They need commonsense solutions now.
 
“I’m very happy that Congressman Sestak is finally admitting that my health care proposals have been the best ones all along,” Pat Toomey said.  “I only wish he would have the courage to admit that his opposition to commonsense health care reforms these past two years was wrong and that his support for the $2.3 trillion government-run health care bill is proving to be an unaffordable disaster.  Why is Congressman Sestak playing politics with Pennsylvanians’ health care?”