Sen. Hatch Gives Up on Bipartisan Health Reform Talks

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

(AP)

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), one of four Republicans that have been attempting to hash out a bipartisan health care reform proposal in the Senate Finance Committee, gave up on the effort Wednesday.

"It's going to be difficult for me to support what they are talking about, so I'd rather be upfront about it," Mr. Hatch told reporters, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Hatch said he is opposed to a mandate for individuals, the employer mandate, and a government-sponsored health insurance plan, according to Bloomberg. All of those provisions are major elements of health care legislation passed in another Senate committee and included in the health care bill in the House of Representatives.

Hatch was part of the so-called "group of seven" -- four moderate Republicans and three Democrats working toward compromise in the Finance Committee. Led by Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the group has been considering a proposal to establish non-profit cooperatives that would compete with the private insurance industry, rather than a government-sponsored insurance plan, or "public option."

Hatch said Wednesday, however, he was afraid the group would capitulate to liberal demands for a public option.

"I am definitely concerned about the high costs of this bill, the push towards a single-payer system -- which is what it is, that's what's behind the whole government plan option," Mr. Hatch said, the Wall Street Journal reported.

President Obama and leaders in Congress initially called for a bipartisan reform package, but issues like how to raise revenues for reform have strained cooperation with Republicans, and the president has toned down his rhetoric -- indicating that he would consider a bill that simply includes Republican amendments bipartisan, even if it wins no Republican votes.

The Senate Finance Committee has yet to introduce its own version of reform, taking weeks longer than expected to produce a compromise. Some have seen the committee's efforts as the last hope for forging a bipartisan bill -- or even the last hope for reform at all.

See Also: Republican Sen. Tom Coburn Op-Ed on CBSNews.com: Health Care Impasse Is An Opportunity

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by Aldymac July 23, 2009 9:32 AM EDT: Lets see, we have the "Obama Banking industry", next there is the "Obama Auto industry", now they are looking to add the "Obama Healthcare industry", which will greatly add to the profit of the "Obama Insurance industry".
But lets 'change' the word 'industry' to 'corporation', now, do we have "bipatrisan"?; Reply to this comment


by hungry1968-16 July 22, 2009 6:23 PM EDT: Senator Hatch never aimed for anything "bipartisan".

It was either "MY WAY" or "NO WAY", in typical republican "bipartisan fashion".; Reply to this comment


by tincup356 July 22, 2009 5:52 PM EDT: Health care is one of the problems that congress cannot fix going at it the way they are......the problem is that the industry is corrupt with GREED, and discrimination. No two people are charged the same thing for the same procedure.If you don't have insurance and go to the emergency room, they will treat you,,,,,but they will not make ANY diagnosis, because to do so they would have to treat it ,,,so they rum expensive cat scans and blood work so they have a big bill to send you,,,,,,,then they tell you ,,,"You need to see a specialist".....but then the specialist will not see you without insurance,,,,unless you have thousands in cash to pay up front. "We the people have congress to thank ,,,because it has been a major cash cow to BOTH parties,,,,taking lobby dollars and letting corporate America write the laws they need to rob the people. Every single problem this nation faces is the fruit of lobby tainted legislation over the last 50 years by BOTH parties,,,,,,Americans better add lobbyists to the list of terrorists that are destroying America,,,,,they are in conspiracy with BOTH parties,,,,and in doing so they are ALL committing TREASON.; Reply to this comment


by tautomer July 22, 2009 5:52 PM EDT: Obama the Divider.; Reply to this comment


by parrots7 July 22, 2009 5:36 PM EDT: Most Repugs don't realise that they're only ONE serious Illness or huge medical bill away from being a Rabid Democrat. Dumb Repugs !; Reply to this comment