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Politico...
Senate GOP aims for piecemeal health care reform repeal
By Jennifer Haberkorn 2/1/11
Senate Republicans have promised to force votes on allowing states to
opt out of some of the most politically controversial provisions of the
health care reform law.
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced
legislation Tuesday that would allow states to “opt out” of the law’s
requirement that individuals have to buy insurance, that large
companies have to provide insurance and that states need to expand
their Medicaid program.
Graham said his goal in introducing the legislation is to take down the
entire health reform law.
“If you take half the states out of the individual mandate, this
[health reform] bill falls,” he said. “Quite frankly, that’s the goal.”
He suggested that he would try to force a vote on the bill every time
they “vote on naming a post office.”
Barrasso and Graham said the new legislation would force the health
debate from Washington to the state level, where some governors or
state leaders are nervous about the expensive expansion of the Medicaid
program .
“Instead of requiring states to follow Obamacare’s one-size-fits-all
approach to health care policy, our bill allows states to decide what
fits best for their citizens,” Barrasso said.
The legislation could be a tough sell with moderate Democrats,
particularly if Republicans frame a vote for the opt-out bill as a blow
against all of health reform. Many moderate Democrats have voiced
skepticism of pieces of the law, but say they want to give it a chance
to work.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48603.html
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