WASHINGTON, D.C. - Citing issues with how the current draft of the Senate health care bill deals with the opioid epidemic, Ohio Senator Rob Portman announced Tuesday that he would not support the current bill.
In a joint statement with West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Portman expressed concern with Medicaid policies in the bill.
“As I’ve said many times, the Affordable Care Act is not working for many Ohio families and small businesses. I am committed to creating a better health care system that lowers the cost of coverage, provides access to quality care, and protects the most vulnerable in our society. The Senate draft before us includes some promising changes to reduce premiums in the individual insurance market, but I continue to have real concerns about the Medicaid policies in this bill, especially those that impact drug treatment at a time when Ohio is facing an opioid epidemic," Portman said.
“For months, I have engaged with my colleagues on solutions that I believe are necessary to ensure that we improve our health care system and better combat this opioid epidemic. Unfortunately, the Senate draft falls short and therefore I cannot support it in its current form. In the days and weeks ahead, I’m committed to continue talking with my colleagues about how we can fix the serious problems in our health care system while protecting Ohio’s most vulnerable citizens.”
Senate leaders announced earlier in the day that a vote on the draft of the health care bill would be delayed until after the July 4th recess.