Massa Says Single Payer is "Off the Table"

By Rachel Ward and Julie Philipp

Rochester, NY – A staunch advocate of single-payer health insurance says that type of reform is not going to happen.

Southern Tier Democratic Congressman Eric Massa acknowledges that his preferred method of reforming health care won't make the cut.

"Single payer's off the table. It's off the table, I understand that. I look at [House Resolution] 3200 and it doesn't address that issue. Single payer, by the way, does address cost control. I have concerns about how this bill does that. One of the big issues in America today is not that we're not spending enough money, because we're spending twice as much as any industrialized nation per capita. The problem is we're spending in the most inefficient way possible."

Massa says HR 3200 would add to the nation's deficit, and doesn't do anything to reduce the cost of health care in America. However, he's opening the door for compromise with the Democratic majority supporting that bill.

Massa made headlines earlier this week after saying he would vote against HR 3200 even if it was against the wishes of his constituency.
He said then that he would have to vote his conscience, and support single payer care.