Earth to U.S. Senate, California is broke as in can’t pay its bills. Why is California getting hosed by the Senate Finance Committee’s proposed health care bill?

Apparently there are four other states that are worse off; Oregon, Rhode Island, Michigan and Nevada, the Senate Majority leader’s home state. Those four states will get waiver or pass from the federal government and will not have to pay increased Medicaid costs that accompany the new and improved health care insurance for all.

Medicaid, which was intended for poor folks, will now include more middle of the road families. The added yearly costs are in the billions for bigger states with larger populations and the taxpayer will eventually absorb the increased Medicaid tab.

Senator Max Baucus-D MT, Chairman of the Finance Committee deems the added cost would be too much of a burden for some states hit particularly hard by high unemployment and prolonged recession blues. This make’s Harry Reid-D NV a happy camper because he can now go home and tell his cash-strapped constituents they will get a free pass on health care for a few years.

While the slot machine may be chiming in Nevada across state lines California who lays claim to double digit unemployment and budget problems as far as the eye can see, will now be footing the bill for Nevada. Yes, California will be paying not just once for added Medicaid payments- but twice. [1] Keep reading