Jeffords' Switch Could Affect Key Healthcare Initiatives

Healthcare Financial Management, July, 2001

In a surprise move, Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords withdrew from the Republican Party in June to become an Independent, enabling Democrats to gain control of the Senate and most likely reshaping the political outlook for certain healthcare-related initiatives. By becoming the Senate's new majority party, Democrats will assume responsibility for committee chairmanships and scheduling votes and hearings. As the new chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) is expected to accelerate action on patient's rights legislation and enhance scrutiny of drug companies' marketing practices. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the new chair of the Senate Finance Committee, is expected to steer efforts away from adopting a privately managed Medicare pharmaceutical benefit to a more comprehensive one that is largely managed by HHS.

Despite the previous 50-50 split in the Senate, Republicans had control because the vice president was counted as a tiebreaker. With Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the executive branch, a number of controversial pieces of legislation supported by the Bush administration, such as bankruptcy reform and abolishing the ergonomics rule, sailed through Congress. The Senate changeover will make for a bumpier ride for many Bush priorities and could force more compromises. Still, Democrats remain well short of having enough votes to end Republican filibusters or override a presidential veto.

To read Jeffords' statement, go to http://www.senate.gov/[sim]jeffords/.