Mostly Negative Reaction to Baucus Bill on Capitol Hill

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

(CBS/AP/iStockphoto)

Sen. Max Baucus said today that he is optimistic some Republicans will eventually support his health care legislation, and at least one Republican he has been working with acknowledged today there is still room for compromise.

"I believe the chairman's legislation moves in the right direction away from a government-run system contained in bills that have passed other Congressional committees, but a number of issues still need to be addressed," Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) said in a statement today, adding that Baucus' leadership has "laid real and substantial groundwork for bipartisan cooperation."

She cited cost and affordability issues for both the goverment and consumers, as well as the assurance of appropriate market competition, as issues that still need to be worked out.

The other two senators who make up the GOP portion of Baucus' "gang of six" were not as pleased with the bill.

"The proposal released today still spends too much, and it does too little to cut health care costs for those with health insurance," Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said in a statement. "At a time when our nation faces a $9 trillion deficit, we should target assistance to those in the greatest need without creating unsustainable new entitlement programs."

Enzi said he opposed the expansion of Medicaid -- a central part of Democrats' plans to make health care more accessible. He called the program "unsustainable."

The other Republican who has been working with Baucus, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), gave similarly negative comments.

Republican congressional leadership also blasted the bill.

"This partisan proposal cuts Medicare by nearly a half-trillion dollars, and puts massive new tax burdens on families and small businesses, to create yet another thousand-page, trillion-dollar government program," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a statement. "Only in Washington would anyone think that makes sense, especially in this economy."

Democrats responded to the legislation with both criticism and support.

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.), a leader of the moderate House Blue Dogs, said in a statement today that she agreed with Baucus that his bill meets the goals of the administration because it is deficit-neutral and lowers long term health care costs.

Baucus' Health Bill Just the Beginning

"I applaud Chairman Baucus and his colleagues in the Senate for their progress today and look forward to working together as we move to make health care reform a reality," she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sounded more wary of the bill.

"As this proposal evolves, we hope to see modifications that result in the Senate bill better reflecting the work of the House to make health care more affordable for all Americans and promote competition that is key to keeping costs lower," she said in a statement. "I believe the public option is the best way to achieve that goal."

By contrast, House progressives said today that the Baucus bill would not pass muster in the House, CBS News' Capitol Hill producer Jill Jackson reports. Representatives Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Eliott Engel (D-N.Y.), both members of one of the committees responsible for health care, told reporters that House progressives have already compromised enough by agreeing to a "weak" government-run health care plan, or "public option."

Advocacy groups pushing for health care reform also took aim at Baucus' bill.

The bill "absolutely fails to meet the most basic health care needs of working families and it fails to meet the expectations we have set for our nation," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said in a statement. "The Senate Finance proposal, sadly, is little more than a throwback to the failed policies of the last three decades that advantaged corporations over taxpayers and bestowed special breaks on the wealthy while ignoring the middle class."

The group Health Care for America Now (HCAN) strongly supports the public option but has not gone so far as to say it would not support a bill that does not include it.

Still, HCAN National Campaign Manager Richard Kirsch said today, "The Baucus bill is a gift to the insurance industry that fails to meet the most basic promise of health care reform: a guarantee that Americans will have good health care that they can afford."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by HenryW September 17, 2009 9:03 AM EDT: Sen. Max Baucus' bill is absolutely worthless and unworthy of consideration. He failed in his primary directive - to negotiate a truly effective bipartisan Health Care bill that could garner support from both Democrats and Republicans. Baucus' bill failed to garner support from either group! It appears that the over $3 Million in insurance company campaign contributions he's received drastically diminished his effectiveness.

Baucus did find a way to help his true constituents - the Health Insurance lobby - by offering a bill requiring the middle-class to pony up 13% of their income via payroll tax or face penalty in addition to co-pay requirements for coverage. Further, he offers a bill that doesn't afford any cost controls while giving insurers huge subsidies for individuals unable to afford coverage. This bill was a win-win for insurers and a lose-lose for the rest of us!; Reply to this comment


by aldon62 September 16, 2009 11:33 PM EDT: This is a POS bill that doesn't help, but penalizes the middle class and the people that most need it. The result is that a 13% cut of the family's pay will go to a health care provider, and if they don't go along with it, they risk half of that in a "penalty" or fine/tax. In addition, they will still have to pay co-insurance payments and out of pocket drugs. Baucus completely "caved", and you know what? The republicans will still not support it. It's time that our administration and democratic majority grows a pair and "CRAMS" it where the sun don't shine. We NEED healthcare reform and this administration better dam well produce it! BTW, did anyone see the healthcare companies stock quotes today? Check it out, all of the major players, including United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna and others all advanced between 1.5% and 2.25%, AFTER this bill was announced! Wake up America. it's time to get involved!; Reply to this comment


by valleywiz September 16, 2009 9:35 PM EDT: You are right on, carlyt1; Reply to this comment


by CitizenMikeM September 16, 2009 9:32 PM EDT: This guy is a sellout to the insurance lobby and isn't even trying to hide it. He now has the exact same plan he had two months ago. What a waste of time. But then...that was the plan all along, wasn't it?; Reply to this comment


by carlyt1 September 16, 2009 8:29 PM EDT: The Dems should do what they should have done all along, pass health care reform with the public option. The Republicans never had any intention of coming on board with any plan. They just wasted several months of time in getting this thing done. They have no ideas. Their 'plan' was the status quo to make sure those health care industry checks keep on coming.; Reply to this comment