"Sen. Maria Cantwell urges Obama to cut health care costs"

AP:

Sen. Maria Cantwell says President Barack Obama must do more to help the nation emulate Washington and other states that deliver health care efficiently.

Cantwell, a Washington state Democrat, delivered the message in person Friday as she met with Obama at the White House. The two met privately for about 40 minutes as the president and Congress consider a bill to overhaul the nation's health care system.

The meeting was closed to reporters, but Cantwell, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said she pressed for reforms that reward states that deliver Medicare and other health care services efficiently.

She said Washington state focuses on prevention, wellness and primary care - and is so efficient that Medicare actually pays it less money than other states.

Howie P.S.: Maria hangs with Baucus on the Senate Finance Committee. I wonder how McDermott feels about this issue.