Page 34
January 17, 2014
The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch
FROM PAGE 15
ence in the lives of Marylanders a-
cross our state."
Senator Jim Mathias (D-38), who
represents Worcester and the
Lower Shore, serves on the commit-
tee that passed the emergency leg-
islation this week and voted for the
bill despite some misgivings about
the program.
Mathias essentially said this
week the problems with the pro-
gram are now water under the
bridge and he is dedicated on find-
ing a solution.
"It behooves us to get the job
done," he said. "It's the law of the
land and Maryland made the deci-
sion to launch its own exchange.
With the miserable start of the
state's exchange, it's incumbent on
us to help our citizens through this
process and get the affordable
health care they need and deserve."
Mathias said he feels the pain of
the thousands of Marylanders
caught in the failures of the state's
healthcare exchange. He was not
shy about expressing his disap-
pointment with the start of the pro-
gram and vowed to direct his ener-
gy toward making it right.
"I too am disappointed with the
dismal start and we're taking our
energy and effort and putting it into
getting this right," he said. "Our goal
is to help our constituents with their
health insurance. There are no ex-
cuses and I apologize for it. It was-
n't under my domain, but we're all a
part of it and we need to find a way
now to fix it."
Meanwhile, while state Demo-
crats acknowledged the failure of
the system this week and promised
to find solutions to make it right, the
most scathing criticism came from
the other side of the aisle from Re-
publicans who have said the state
exchange was flawed from the start.
"The administration's rush to
pass this bill makes it clear that the
colossal failure of the Maryland
Health Connection website is a
symptom of deeper problems with
Maryland's inept handling of Obam-
acare implementation," said Re-
publican Sen. David Brinkley on
Tuesday. "These problems foresha-
dow dire consequences to future
state budgets as well as our citizens
who, through no fault of their own,
are currently without health insur-
ance."
Eastern Shore Republican Dele-
gate Jeannie Haddaway, who is
running for lieutenant governor on
the David Craig ticket, said the pro-
posed solutions will not likely solve
the problems with the system.
"The hearing in Annapolis today
confirms what we have been saying
all along," said Haddaway. "Trying
to solve a bureaucratic nightmare
with more bureaucracy doesn't
work. This is another waste of tax-
payers' money and creates even
more opportunity for people to fall
through the cracks because they
can't get coverage ..."
... Mathias: ` There Are No Excuses'
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