Obama-Clause and his Merry Elves, Senators Harry Reid, Ben Nelson, Chris Dodd and others, worked until the wee hours of the morning to decorate the National Healthcare Tree, so let’s see who’s been naughty and nice. Many Senators worked tirelessly to add some last-minute decorations to this “Christmas Tree Bill.” 

Let’s start with Sen. Chris Dodd (D- Connecticut) who added a special provision allocating $100 million for the University of Connecticut medical center to the Senate Bill.  Or how about Senators Baucas (D-Montana), Byron Dorgan (D-N. Dakota), and Tim Johnson (D-S. Dakota), who added provisions raising Medicare payments to “frontier” hospitals and doctors.  In addition, Senators Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) added provisions such as providing exemptions from the insurance company fee for Nebraska Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Mutual of Omaha; and 100% Federal payment for new Medicaid coverage, at a cost of $100 million and $10 million for community health-care centers, respectively.

Other states, such as the Big Easy will enjoy benefits to the likes of $300 million in new Medicaid subsidies thanks to Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana).  A grandfather clause was added for the residents of Florida, that exempts them from losing their Medicare Advantage benefits like those Coventry Advantra and Humana Gold plans that Mr. Obama and Mr. Reid constantly demonize.  Or how about Massachusetts, where Sen. Edward Kennedy reached out from the grave for one last piece of succulent pork for his beloved state: $500 million in higher Medicaid reimbursements.

And now for what Obama-Clause left for those who were not so nice this year.  Let’s begin with Senator Lieberman who is the only reason that there is not yet a public option or Medicare buy-in.  All he gets is eternal gratitude and admiration for standing on principal.  Now for all the rest of the girls and boys in the Senate, you get NOTHING and neither do your states.  Your lump of coal consists of the big fat bill for all of the pork doled out by Obama-Clause and his Chief Elf Harry Reid, and let’s not forget those high health insurance premiums and $70 billion of new taxes.  Oh, what a wonderful Christmas it was. Ho ho ho!