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 21:
- Health reform bill advances despite Hatch, Bennett opposition
- Nov 19:
- 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 » Sen. Orrin Hatch ramped up the rhetoric against health reform after Senate Democrats unveiled their sweeping $849 billion proposal late Wednesday.
The Utah Republican told the Los Angeles Times that the floor debate is "going to be a holy war."
And Hatch appeared on the Fox News morning show Fox & Friends on Thursday saying that if the bill passes, "I hope the American people rebel."
Hatch, who early on participated in bipartisan health reform negotiations, has a long list of complaints with the Democratic proposal. He doesn't like a government-run insurance alternative, proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage subsidies or mandates on companies and individuals. He also says the bill will cost the country money, despite non-partisan estimates that the legislation would result in savings.
"This is a lousy bill that is going to cost American taxpayers like mad for the rest of our lives," he said on Fox.
The Democratic National Committee quickly responded to Hatch's criticisms, saying he is spreading "false propaganda about the Senate health care bill in an attempt to improve the Republican Party's political fortunes."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid presented the latest bill this week. It would extend coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans, stop insurance companies from raising prices or restricting coverage based on gender or a health condition and reduce the national
The Democrats pay for the proposal with money culled from Medicare and new taxes on individuals making more than $200,000 and on high-end insurance plans.
Democrats must get 60 votes to bring the bill to the floor and, if that succeeds, the Senate is expected to debate the reform bill for weeks. Hatch would likely be one of the anti-reform leaders, taking the point on the issue of abortion, which has become a flash point in Congress.
House Democrats accepted only one amendment before narrowly passing their version of health reform earlier this month. The amended House bill bars any plan offered through government-subsidized insurance exchanges to cover elective abortions.
Hatch has tried repeatedly to get similar language in the Senate bills, but so far has been rebuffed. He plans to try again on the Senate floor.
The bill, introduced by Reid, does stop any federal money from paying for an elective abortion, requiring the money to come from premiums paid by individuals. But it also requires that at least one plan to offer abortion coverage in each state's insurance marketplace.
Hatch doesn't believe any insurance plan subsidized by the government should be allowed to cover abortions.
