Senate rejects bipartisan bill for managed care reform

June 8, 2000
Web posted at: 7:34 PM EDT (2334 GMT)

From CNN Congressional Correspondent Chris Black

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Senate narrowly rejected a bipartisan version of managed care reform on a 51-48 vote, in an unsuccessful political maneuveur to break a stalemate between the House and Senate over the issue.

Only four Republicans voted with Democrats: Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and John McCain of Arizona, on a party line vote.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat, and Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle co-sponsored the amendment to the defense spending bill after they concluded that lawmakers charged with working out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill were hopelessly deadlocked.

The Senate approved its version of the bill last July and the House in October.

President Clinton said he was disappointed with the vote. He said it means "that the American people will continue to wait for the long overdue patient protections that they deserve."

"However, we continue to enjoy overwhelming bipartisan support in the House of Representatives and are now within a single vote of a bipartisan majority in the Senate," he added. "I am encouraged by this progress and urge the supporters of a real Patients' bill of Rights to redouble their efforts to pass this critically important legislation."

Although the House bill fell short of the version preferred by many Democrats, Senate Democrats decided to use it to put Republicans on the spot in an election year and try to put pressure on Republican leaders to work out a compromise.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert signaled a death knell for the negotiation process when he named as negotiators only lawmakers who opposed the legislation approved by the full House.

The House bill also allows patients who have been injured to sue for damages in state courts and guarantees that doctors determine what treatment is medically necessary. The Senate bill would not be bound by doctor recommendations on medical necessity.

Thursday, June 8, 2000

• House votes to block federal rules on workplace injuries
  
• Video: Breakfast at The First Lady Cafe
  
• Senate rejects bipartisan bill for managed care reform
  
• House to close out week with competing efforts to roll back 'death tax'
  
• Poll: Bush holds slight lead over Gore
  
• White House counsel says subpoenaed Gore e-mails lost
  
• Bush calls for 'new tone' in Washington; Gore proposes tougher privacy laws
  
• Lawmakers want FDA to do more to block tainted drugs
  
• Democratic Party asks questions in exchange for free Internet access
  
• Tucker Carlson: Jon Corzine and the hand-wringers
  
• McCain offers measure to close campaign loophole
  
• Senate votes to give next president more authority on nuclear weapons
  
• Ventura, Minn., residents petition to change city name
  
• Two-time congressional candidate convicted of child rape
  

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