Healthcare amendments flood Senate budget process

Senators from both parties are jumping at the chance to modify the U.S. healthcare system through amendments to the proposed budget.

About 80 of the roughly 400 proposed amendments pertained to healthcare as of Friday afternoon, with about 30 modifying President Obama's healthcare law and three curbing abortion rights.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Friday that he would seek to limit debate to between 25 and 35 of the proposals, meaning most will not see floor action. 

The measures reveal a laundry list of healthcare priorities for both parties.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wants to undo the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act by declaring that the individual mandate cannot be a tax.

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) want to delay the law's implementation, each under different circumstances.

Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) wants to block grant Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) wants a bigger federal fight against prescription drug abuse.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) wants to protect mental-health services for everyone covered by the Second Amendment.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) wants to increase funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health.

Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.) wants to extend healthcare coverage to veterans' kids until they are 26.

Several measures pertaining to the Affordable Care Act are more technical.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) would repeal the healthcare law's Medicaid cuts to hospitals that serve primarily low-income communities.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) would reduce eligibility for subsidies to buy insurance on the health law's exchanges.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) would reduce the matching rate for the law's Medicaid expansion.

The final budget vote is expected late Friday or early Saturday morning.

Read more about amendments that would bar food stamps from purchasing junk food and limit food-size regulations at RegWatch.

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