THE HILL
 

Collins claims qualms with health bill beyond public plan

By Michael O'Brien - 10/30/09 12:32 PM ET

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) sent signals Friday that she's unlikely to back health reform legislation, even if it doesn't include the public option.

Collins went further in her opposition than her Maine colleague, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who has said she might support the Senate health bill if it includes a public (or "government-run") plan including a "trigger" instead of the "opt-out" clause it currently contains.

"It does not make sense to create a government-owned insurance company, and that's what we're talking about when people use the term 'public option,'" Collins said during an interview on MSNBC.

There had previously been some hope that Collins would join with Snowe to support healthcare bill in the Senate, but Snowe has said she would oppose the bill crafted by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

But Collins said her issues with the bill extend beyond the controversial provision. Namely, Collins argued, the proposal would not do enough to bring down the rising costs of healthcare.

"There are also other flaws with the bill that are of equal importance to me," she said. "I don't think it does enough to rein in the cost of healthcare; that is the number one issue to me."

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/65639-collins-claims-qualms-with-health-bill-beyond-public-plan

Comments (3)

It's unfortunate that the Club for Growth and other conservative groups refuse to allow moderate Republicans to run for the Senate in the northeast, so that national Republicans aren't so dependent on the whims of Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. As Newt Gingrich has been recently hinting, Republican moderates could win more Senate seats in the northeast except the "Club for No" and other big money conservatives refuse to allow it.BY Chris Baker on 10/30/2009 at 15:00
Sorry Chris but I have to disagree with your post. I'll let Lindsey Grahamnesty make my point for me. Not only do "moderate" RINO's support appalling frauds like the porkulus bill, shamesty, tax increases, Obamacare, they also would like Lindsey Grahamnesty support cap tax. It is much better to lose some seats for a while and let the corruptocrats hang themselves and have free reign in some area which they will surely foul, than to make us all suffer their rantings and whims. Nope I am certain that history will show Newt wrong on this one. I and my family are supporting conservative candidates directly rather than the GOP this year with donations to drive the point home. See NY 23 I am lovin it to see the GOP and the Dems wring their little dirty hands over that one too. No more RINO's let them go to hell.BY SPQR_US on 10/30/2009 at 15:39
The health care bill is unconstitutiona l and is a betrayal of every single American.BY elizabeth on 10/30/2009 at 18:21

Add Comment

Name (required)

E-Mail (will not be published) (required)

Your Comments

Key Blogs

What they are saying today …
Huffington Post
Huffpo's banner headline reads "SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTIN'" about tomorrow night's first procedural vote in the Senate on healthcare reform legislation. A bill that would allow an audit of the Federal Reserve passed the House Financial Services Committee yesterday. … Read More »
Drudge Report
"10 HRS OF DEBATE SATURDAY; VOTE 8 P.M." banners Drudge about the first procedural vote on the Senate's healthcare reform bll scheduled to take place tomorrow. Drudge links to a release from House Minority Leader John Boehner's (R-Ohio) office saying that the Senate bill has a "monthly abortion fee." … Read More »
Buzzflash
Pmcarpenter writes that establishment Democrats are beginning to fret over the gubernatorial losses in Virginia and New Jersey. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) is the blog's "GOP hypocrite of the week" for his House floor speech about the 9/11 civilian terror trials. … Read More »
Firedoglake
Attaturk posts video of Comedy Central's Jon Stewart grilling former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs. Blue Texan asks why 2008 presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) said the war in Afghanistan is lost. … Read More »
RedState
Erick Erickson explores wether or not voting for cloture on healthcare reform is a vote for the bill. A new poll shows Rep. Roy Blunt (R) and Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) running close to even in the Show Me State's 2010 Senate race. … Read More »
The Corner
Kathryn Jean Lopez publishes a letter from a National Review donor. Rich Lowry wonders when the "divisive" Crist-Rubio GOP Florida Senate primary will end, saying it is bad for the party. … Read More »
Blog Summaries Archive »

Briefing Room Blog Roll

The Hill
ABC News: The Note
AMERICAblog
Barack Obama
Beat The Press
Bill Press
BuzzFlash
Capitol Briefing
Capitol Games
The Caucus (NYT)
Clive Crook
Comments From Left Field
CNN Political Ticker
The Corner (NRO)
Crooks and Liars
The Daily Beast
Daily Kos
DCCC: The Stakeholder
DNC: Kicking Ass
DSCC: From The Roots
Drudge Report
Eschaton
Extreme Mortman
Ezra Klein
firedoglake
FishbowlDC
The Fix (WashPost)
The Foundry
Gkenn Greenwald
Hendrik Hertzberg
Hillary Clinton
Hot Air
Hotline on Call
Huffington Post
Human Events
Instapundit
James Fallows
John McCain
Judicial Watch: Corruption Chronicles
Kaus Files
Left Coaster
Lefty Blogs
Majority AP
Marc Ambinder
Matt Lewis
Matthew Yglesias
Megan McArdle
Michelle Malkin
Minority Report
The Moderate Voice
MSNBC First Read
MyDD
The Nation
National Review
The New Republic
NewsBusters
Newsmax
The NRCC Blog
NRSC Blog
Open Left
Page (Mark Halperin)
The Plank (TNR)
Political Animal
Political Wire
Politicker
Politico's Ben Smith
Politico's Jonathan Martin
Politico's The Crypt
Power Line
Reason
RedState
Right Wing News
RNC Blog
Ross Douthat
Rush Limbaugh
SCOTUSblog
Senate Guru
The Stump (TNR)
The Swamp (Tribune)
Swampland
Swing State Project
Talk Left
TalkingPointsMemo
TAPPED
Tech Policy Summit
techPresident
TechRepublican
The Right Angle
Think Progress
Top of the Ticket (LA Times)
Townhall
TPMCafe
TPMMuckraker
The Trail (WashPost)
Truthdig
USA Today On Politics
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blog
VF Daily
Washington Wire (WSJ)
Weekly Standard
Wonkette
Yeas and Nays

Briefing Room Blog Topics

 Blog Summaries »   Technology »
 Day's End Round-Up »   Telecom and IT »
 Energy & Environment »   Trade and Agriculture »
 Midday Blog Roundup »  Lobbying »
 Morning Read »   Administration »
 News »   Campaigns »
  Campaigns »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Civil Rights »   Defense »
   Congressional Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Foreign Policy »   Homeland Security »
   Healthcare »   Immigration »
   Homeland Security »   Labor »
   Immigration »   Lobbyists »
   Labor »   Technology »
   Law and Courts »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Presidential Campaigns »  Other »
   Technology »   Administration »
   Telecom and IT »   Campaigns »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Civil Rights »
  Energy & Environment »   Congressional Campaigns »
  Lawmaker News »   Corporate Governance »
   Administration »   Defense »
   Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Civil Rights »   Energy & Environment »
   Corporate Governance »   Foreign Policy »
   Defense »   Healthcare »
   Economy & Budget »   Homeland Security »
   Energy & Environment »   Immigration »
   Foreign Policy »   Labor »
   Healthcare »   Lobbyists »
   Homeland Security »   Presidential Campaigns »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Technology »  Oversight »
   Telecom and IT »   Administration »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Campaigns »
  Legislation »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Campaigns »   Defense »
   Civil Rights »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Energy & Environment »   Homeland Security »
   Foreign Policy »   Immigration »
   Healthcare »   Labor »
   Homeland Security »   Lobbyists »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »

You need Flash Player 8 (or higher) and JavaScript enabled to view this content

Get latest news from The Hill direct to your inbox, RSS reader and mobile devices.