Not surprisingly, after the successful vote for cloture on H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (See, DM 10820), several Republican Senators have released statements decrying the next step in the legislation.

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) released a statement saying in part: "This bill will fundamentally change the way health care is delivered by creating a new multi-trillion dollar entitlement program that massively grows the size and role of the federal government, significantly increases taxes, especially on small businesses, and cuts Medicare by over a trillion dollars. The legislation fails to bring health care cost growth down, expands government by $2.5 trillion, and passes on to future generations a government they can't afford. It is not good for the nation's fiscal health or for people's health care."

Bob Bennett (R-UT) also stated his concerns: "Tonight's vote wasn't a vote for reform. Those who voted to proceed to this bill voted to raise premiums, raise taxes, cut benefits to Medicare, and inflate the national debt. Tonight's vote was a vote to further burden state budgets by implementing the largest expansion of Medicaid. Tonight's vote was a vote in favor of putting Washington bureaucrats between doctors and patients."

Senator James Risch (R-ID) commented: "There is no question our health care system needs reform, but moving forward on a bill that increases the cost of insurance premiums, raises taxes and cuts Medicare benefits to meet an arbitrary deadline is wrong. Our health care system impacts the life of every American and any changes to it need to be carefully considered with consequences known, not rushed through so the President can check off another box on his list of campaign promises."

On the Democratic side, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) got down to brass tacks regarding both the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and on mammograms, in light of the recent change in the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force guidelines on mammography usage (See DM 10771). Reid stated that the Act will make mammograms more accessible: "We can respectfully disagree on policy and best practices. But scientific facts are indisputable, and here's one that so many families in Nevada know first-hand: Mammograms save lives. Like other preventative measures, screening for breast cancer is one of the best ways to fight it. It's the reason why the Senate's health insurance reform bill makes prevention a priority...the task force's recommendation will have absolutely no impact on the bills we in the Senate write, debate or vote on." (See DM 10840.)

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