Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Heller: Failed health bill left ‘skyrocketing’ costs unaddressed

Dean Heller

Rich Pedroncelli / AP

Nevada Sen. Dean Heller.

Nevada’s Republican Senator who opposed the failed GOP health plan says the bill was pulled today because it did not address skyrocketing costs.

“Republicans and Democrats in Congress can agree that the status quo is unacceptable,” Sen. Dean Heller, R-NV, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the AHCA as currently drafted fails to address the skyrocketing costs of health care and protect coverage for those who are most vulnerable. Its lack of support today is a reflection of that.”

The American Health Care Act was pulled without enough votes to pass today, the day President Donald Trump demanded a vote on the legislation. Heller was among the Republicans who had said they were opposed to the bill.

“I’ll continue working closely with Gov. Sandoval and my colleagues in the Senate on solutions that will control costs, increase choice, and improve the quality of care provided to Nevadans,” Heller said in his statement Friday.

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-NV, was among the 33 Republicans who would have voted no on the bill, according to a New York Times survey.

He told the Associated Press on March 13 that he was concerned people would lose coverage under the GOP plan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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