Posted by Michael Wonder on 27 Jun 2019
Senate Health Committee advances bipartisan package to lower health costs
26 June 2019 - The Senate Health Committee on Wednesday voted to advance a bipartisan package aimed at lowering health care costs to the full Senate.
The measure from Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who are known as two of the best bipartisan dealmakers in the Senate, marks a rare bipartisan area of cooperation on the highly divisive issue of health care.
The package passed the committee on a vote of 20-3. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), both strong progressives who are running for president, voted "no" in absentia. Sanders's office said he opposed the bill because it lacked enough funding for community health centres. Warren said that while the bill had "important provisions" it failed to address GOP "sabotage" of ObamaCare or soaring drug costs.
