February 19, 2010

Richard Cordray
Ohio Attorney General
30 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Dear Attorney General Cordray,

We are writing to you in regard to the federal healthcare debate that continues
in Washington D.C. As more details emerge from the debate and closed-door
discussions, we grow more concerned for the state of Ohio and the
hardworking taxpayers of our state.

One concern that we have involves the provision that exempts the state of
Nebraska from paying what all other states will be forced to pay for this
mandated healthcare coverage. From what we understand, a deal was arranged
in order for the senate leadership to garner the Nebraska senator’s vote for this
healthcare proposal. How is it fair to taxpayers in other states if these back-
door deals say if you vote for this legislation, your taxpayers back home in
Nebraska do not have to pay their share of this healthcare mandate? This deal
is an unfair way to handle the healthcare debate and Ohio’s taxpayers are being
placed at a financial disadvantage.

We also have concerns with the proposal that allows Florida citizens to keep
their Medicare Advantage plan at no additional cost to the state. Why should
Florida’s Medicare recipients have an advantage over Ohio’s and receive better
coverage?

We believe that Ohio taxpayers are being placed at a disadvantage during the
discussions that are occurring at the federal level. Though the outcome of the
final legislative product remains to be seen, we question the constitutionality of
the deals that were reached for the states of Nebraska and Florida.

We respectfully urge you to join other Attorney Generals from across the
United States to file a lawsuit on behalf of the hardworking tax payers of Ohio
and challenge these “exclusive” behind-the-scene deals should they become a
part of the final legislation.

We are encouraged that you have written to the Ohio Congressional delegation
to express your concern with the Nebraska language that is currently being
discussed. We invite you to sign onto a letter that our caucus will be sending to
the Ohio delegation to convey our concerns. As Ohio’s economy and tax
dollars are critical, this should be a non-partisan issue that we can unite
together to show the federal government that Ohio’s hardworking citizens will
not foot the expanded Medicaid program for other state’s citizens. We look
forward to you joining us to convey this message.

Respectfully Submitted,
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Representative Randy Gardner Representative Kris Jordan
Ohio House District 6 Ohio House District 2

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Representative Jarrod Martin Representative Terry Blair
Ohio House District 70 Ohio House District 38

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Representative Tim Derickson Representative Jeffrey McClain
Ohio House District 53 Ohio House District 82

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Representative Matt Huffman Representative Jeff Wagner
Ohio House District 4 Ohio House District 81

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Representative Cheryl Grossman Representative Ron Maag
Ohio House District 23 Ohio House District 35

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Representative Courtney Combs Representative Gerald Stebelton
Ohio House District 54 Ohio House District 5

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Representative Seth Morgan Representative Bill Coley
Ohio House District 36 Ohio House District 55
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Representative Peter Beck Representative Richard Adams
Ohio House District 67 Ohio House District 79

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Representative Dave Burke Representative Danny Bubp
Ohio House District 83 Ohio House District 88

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Representative Margaret Ann Ruhl Representative Jay Hottinger
Ohio House District 90 Ohio House District 71

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Representative John Adams Representative Barbara Sears
Ohio House District 78 Ohio House District 46

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Representative Louis Blessing Representative Lynn Wachtmann
Ohio House District 29 Ohio House District 75

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Representative Joe Uecker Representative Peter J. Stautberg
Ohio House District 66 Ohio House District 34

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Representative Troy Balderson Representative Robert Hackett
Ohio House District 94 Ohio House District 84
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Representative Peggy Lehner Representative Jim Zehringer
Ohio House District 37 Ohio House District 77

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Representative Ron Amstutz Representative Clyde Evans
Ohio House District 3 Ohio House District 87

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Republican Leader William G. Batchelder
Ohio House District 69