Font Resize- Health care reform
- Dec 8:
- Senate rejects Hatch's abortion amendment
- Dec 7:
- Hatch files abortion amendment to Senate health reform bill
- Dec 4:
- Health reform: Hatch bid to remove Medicare Advantage cuts fails
- Nov 30:
- McEntee: Utah could use health care reform
- Nov 19:
- Utah Sen. Hatch expects health reform 'holy war'
- Senate girds for historic debate on health bill
- Nov 18:
- Senate health plan to cost $849 billion
- Nov 16:
- How long before the uninsured get insurance?
- Would reform prevent insurers from denying claims?
- Nov 15:
- Utahns' opposition to health reform tied to disapproval of the president
- Will health care be rationed under reform proposals?
- Nov 13:
- Disgruntled Democrats rally at Matheson office
- Nov 12:
- No to 'Obamacare': Utah lawmakers' unified opposition
Washington » As part of a day-long assault on the Democrats' health reform proposal, Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett repeatedly argued the legislation would cost too much and give too much power to the government.
But with less than 40 votes, Republicans didn't have the might on Saturday to block the reform bill from reaching the Senate floor. Three moderate Democrats set aside their reservations and voted with their party, setting up a legislative debate that is likely to go on for weeks before the bill comes up for a final up or down vote either late this year or early next year.
Hatch delivered repeated speeches on Saturday arguing that the nearly $850 billion legislation would hurt already budget-strapped states because of a Medicaid expansion. He complained that insurance plans subsidized by the government would be able to offer abortion coverage. And finally he warned about the overall scope of a bill, which he argues is just a stepping stone toward a total government takeover of the health care industry.
"This is bigger than us, our parties or our ideologies," Hatch said before the 60-39 vote. "This is about the very future of the greatest nation in the history of the world."
Bennett also criticized the legislation. He said that most of the benefits offered in the bill wouldn't kick in until 2014, despite Democratic insistence that a reform bill must pass soon.
"The
Democrats led by President Barack Obama say their plan would reform the insurance industry, expand coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans through Medicaid and new government subsidies and actually cut the national deficit.
They say the plan would be paid for by making Medicare more efficient, cutting subsidies to insurance companies and a series of new tax increases on the wealthy, expensive health insurance plans, cosmetic surgeries and health-related industries.
