US Senate Panel Defeats Hatch's Medicare Advantage Measure - WSJ.com

Image via Wikipedia

The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday defeated an amendment to health-care legislation that likely would have spared private Medicare Advantage plans from any subsidy cuts under the bill.

The amendment, offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, would have required a certification that the bill's section on privately run Medicare plans, which are known as Medicare Advantage plans, would not result in any benefit reductions from those who are enrolled in the private plans. If it was found that benefit reductions would occur, the bill's language on Medicare Advantage would be eliminated.

Hatch's amendment was defeated by a 14-9 vote, with all of the panel's Democrats and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, voting against it.

Read More