Enzi & Hatch Push HHS for Analysis of Kennedy-Dodd Health Bill Senators Ask HHS to Provide Technical Analysis of Health Care Legislation

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Member of the Finance Committee, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Senior Member of HELP and Finance Committees, today said they were disappointed that Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has failed to provide timely, written technical assistance on the Kennedy-Dodd bill. Enzi and Hatch again said that the HELP Committee needs official, technical feedback from HHS before it considers the bill.

“We have made a commitment to the people of this country to work in a bipartisan way to enact a health care reform bill this year that makes affordable, quality health insurance available for all Americans. In order for this to happen, members of Congress, those in the Administration and any interested stakeholders must put partisanship aside and work together,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Secretary Sebelius.

“Because this bill contains many pieces that will directly impact programs operated by your department, we felt it was critical to have a full analysis provided by those who will be charged with its implementation. Unfortunately, we have not received the requested technical assistance on the Affordable Health Choices Act from the Department of Health and Human Services.” Under both Republican and Democratic Administrations, HHS has typically provided Senate committees with technical analysis of various legislative provisions that may conflict with ongoing HHS activities or have a broad impact on the public health.

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