3 Republican senators voted against their party Wednesday night to support an amendment addressing insurance companies that delay or deny necessary medical care.
3 Republican Senators Vote Against Party on Health Insurance Amendment
3 Republican senators broke ranks with their party Wednesday night to support an amendment aimed at addressing insurance companies that delay or deny necessary medical care.
Sens. Susan Collins, Dan Sullivan, and Josh Hawley joined Democrats in backing the proposal introduced by Jon Ossoff. The amendment sought to create a point of order against any budget reconciliation bill that fails to address delays or denials of medically necessary care by insurance companies.
Ossoff attempted to bypass a procedural hurdle by moving to waive provisions of the Budget Act, but the motion failed in a 49–49 vote.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Ossoff highlighted real-life cases to underscore the issue. He described a retired Georgia teacher who paid more than $100,000 into a cancer policy, only to have claims denied after being diagnosed. He also cited a Monroe County mother of three who required a liver transplant and was given six to 12 months to live but had to battle her insurer after her claim was denied.
The amendment was intended to ensure that the Republican-backed budget reconciliation bill, which aims to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, would also include protections preventing insurers from delaying or denying necessary health care.
However, Mike Crapo, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, raised a point of order against the amendment. He argued that adopting it could jeopardize the bill’s privileged status and hinder efforts to use reconciliation to advance Department of Homeland Security funding.
Ossoff’s effort to waive the relevant sections of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ultimately fell one vote short.
Sens. Chuck Grassley and Mark Warner missed the vote due to health and personal reasons.
The Senate continued late-night voting on a broader budget resolution that Republicans hope will pave the way for a reconciliation package. This legislative strategy would allow the measure to pass with a simple majority, bypassing a Democratic filibuster.
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