Casperson said that deal responded to concerns he's heard from constituents about cost-shifting from government-sponsored health plans to private-paying patients.

"If you don't have insurance, you can be billed up to three times what the actual cost is," he said. "People have got a noose around their neck for the rest of their lives trying to pay off those bills."

<cough>BULLSH!T</cough>

In truth, though, Casperson hadn't expected to be in the middle of the bitter Medicaid battle. Representing a number of hard-pressed smaller hospitals dependent on Medicaid patients, [snip]

And, there it is... the entitlement lifestyle, and the entitlement vote buying, answer.