Las Vegas NowFormer Nevada Governor Slams Health Care Bill

Former Nevada Governor Slams Health Care Bill

LAS VEGAS -- Using a tactic out of Nevada Senator Harry Reid's playbook, the Republican National Committee held a health care teleconference Monday. On the phone, Republican and former Governor Bob List slammed the Senate health care bill.

“It includes language that for the first time allows federal dollars to fund abortions in America. That is not something that the majority of Nevadans favor,” he said.

List says the Senate health care bill will cut funding to Medicare, forcing states to pick up additional costs. He says businesses that don't provide health insurance will be heavily taxed and that's the wrong direction for health care.

“The kind of reforms I think we should have is the ability to compete across state lines. We certainly need tort reform -- abusive lawsuits that are driving up health care costs,” he said.

Senator Reid’s office released a statement saying, "This bill will save lives, save money, and save Medicare."

Representative Dina Titus voted for the House version. She says both bills offer a public option for insurance, both remove insurance denial for preexisting conditions and both will end up paying for themselves.

“I think that with the savings for cutting out fraud and abuse, that will help to pay for some of it. With the bringing down the cost of drugs, that will help pay for it. Going to electronic record keeping that reduces unnecessary tests, that will help pay for it,” she said.

Republican Representative Dean Heller says the House and Senate version will be merged and voted on in the full House again if it passes the Senate. “We will see if we get a more moderate bill coming out of the Senate -- one that makes sense to both Republicans and Democrats,” he said.

The Senate version of the bill has an option for states to opt out of the public option for health insurance.

The full Senate will start debating it after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Senator John Ensign and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley were not available for comment.