Kansas City, MO – The Senate Finance Committee approved Senator Max Baucus' health care bill in a 14 to 9 vote this afternoon...but not with the support of Republican committee member Pat Roberts of Kansas.
Before the vote, Roberts told the committee the bill does not address rising health care costs.
"I am terribly concerned that we are riding hell for leather into a health care box canyon full of spending quicksand, cactus tax hikes, policy briar patches, complete with CMS regulatory scorpions, rattle snakes and bad news bears," Roberts stated.
Roberts also said he's worried the bill will ultimately lead to a senate floor version that includes higher taxes, severe cuts to Medicare, and too much government involvement in health care.
Senator Olympia Snowe, of Maine, was the lone Republican on the committee who voted in favor of the bill.
Democrats on the committee argued that the bill is fiscally responsible and will improve access to quality, affordable health coverage.
Funding for health care coverage on KCUR has been provided by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
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