Area GOP senators unwavering in opposition to health care bill

For at least one U.S. senator from Georgia, the fight over health care reform continues, despite the Senate's passage of its health care bill Thursday morning.

"This process is not over by a long shot, and I will continue to fight against (the bill) every single day," said Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.

Sen. Isakson joined with 38 other Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Bob Corker; R-Tenn., Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., in voting against the bill, which passed 60-39. The 58 Democratic senators and the two independents provided the required votes for passage.

The health care reform legislation will move to a House/Senate conference committee in early January, and lawmakers will attempt to reconcile differences in the two bills. The language on abortion and a government-run health insurance option are significant areas to be reconciled.

B.W. Ruffner, president of the Tennessee Medical Association, said Thursday's vote was no surprise.

"This is such a patchwork bill, where so many compromises were made in order to get the appropriate votes, that at the end of the day (it) is simply not going to do the job," he said. "We're going to take care of the patients, we're just not sure how it's going to be done at this point."

Dr. Ruffner said he and other physicians are encouraged by some parts of the bill, such as provisions to help uninsured people get coverage. But he said people who now have insurance may see their premiums increase and their quality of care come down.

He said he'd like to see Congress start all over on negotiating its reform plans.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., called the Senate vote a "historic mistake" and also called on Congress to hit the reset button.

"We should start over and move step-by-step to reduce health care costs using the steps that Republicans have repeatedly proposed," he said.

Those proposals include tort reform and allowing customers to buy insurance across state lines.

Tony Garr, executive director of the Tennessee Health Care Campaign, said the bill's passage "will have a profound and positive impact on the lives of generations of Americans for years to come." He criticized Sens. Corker and Alexander for their votes against the bill.

Mr. Garr's group estimates the bill will make coverage more affordable for 300,000 low- to moderate-income Tennesseans. But, Mr. Garr said, he'd like to see health insurance made more affordable as the bill progresses through congressional conferences.

"If we are going to require people to purchase health insurance, we have an obligation to make sure that premiums are affordable and that coverage offers true financial protection for people at both ends of the income scale," he said.

The Senate bill includes a requirement that nearly all Americans carry health insurance.

In a statement released Thursday, Sen. Chambliss argued that about 23 million Americans will remain uninsured under the bill.

For his part, Sen. Corker took aim at Senate Democrats for what he said was a lack of cooperation.

"I wanted a bipartisan health care reform bill that would stand the test of time," he said. "Instead, we were forced to vote on a 2,000-plus page, fundamentally flawed, partisan bill."

Sen. Corker has been highly critical of one of the funding mechanisms of the bill, which uses funds from the Medicare program.

Rae Bond, executive director of the Chattanooga and Hamilton County Medical Society, said that shift could threaten seniors' access to health care.

"We're very concerned about the long-term financial solvency of Medicare," she said.

Ms. Bond also raised concerns about cuts to reimbursements for doctors who treat Medicare patients, which the bill does not address. She also noted that there's a shortage of doctors in many areas.

"Just because you have insurance doesn't mean there's a doctor available," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

PDF: Reactions to health care legislation

WHAT'S NEXT

The Senate bill must be merged with the House bill, which passed in November. Whatever comes out of that conference committee again must gain approval from Congress before heading to President Barack Obama's desk.

HOW THEY VOTED

* Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.): No

* Bob Corker (R-Tenn.): No

* Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.): No

* Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.): No

* Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.): No

* Richard Shelby (R-Ala.): No