Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy ( left) and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch teamed up on a series of landmark legislative health care achievements, such as the Ryan White program on AIDS treatment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the first major federal child care law. John Duricka/AP hide caption
Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy ( left) and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch teamed up on a series of landmark legislative health care achievements, such as the Ryan White program on AIDS treatment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the first major federal child care law.
When it comes to health policy, former Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, who died Saturday at age 88, leaves a complex legacy of major legislative achievements, changing positions, compromises and fierce opposition. In many ways, though, Hatch's evolution and leadership on health policy during his four decades in the U.S. Senate mirror that of the Republican Party.
When he came to Washington as a neophyte politician after an upset victory in 1976, Hatch was a conservative firebrand, one of the early leaders of the "New Right" bent on dismantling the federal welfare state and banning abortion. A former trial lawyer, the new senator had never before held public office.
But the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and the Republican takeover of the Senate that made Hatch chairman of the powerful Labor and Human Resources Committee (now the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee) turned him into something of a pragmatist. That pragmatism, it should be noted, was somewhat forced: Even though Hatch was technically the chair, there were enough moderate Republicans on the panel to give the ranking Democrat, Massachusetts' Edward Kennedy, effective control over what could be passed by the committee.
So Hatch learned to compromise and to legislate. In 1984, he negotiated with liberal Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., what is still referred to as the "Hatch-Waxman Act." It's better known as the law that allowed, for the first time, approval of generic copies of brand-name drugs. Although far from a panacea, it is still the single-biggest advance in the fight to rein in high drug prices.
When the Democrats took back the Senate after the 1986 elections, Kennedy became chairman of the committee and Hatch, the ranking Republican. The two teamed up on a series of landmark legislative achievements, from the Ryan White program on AIDS treatment and the Americans with Disabilities Act to the first major federal child care law. And while Hatch was a strong foe of national health insurance, he and Kennedy ultimately pushed through Congress in 1997 the bill to create the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides low-cost health insurance for low-income families who don't qualify for Medicaid.
The stridently anti-abortion Hatch was outspoken about his support for federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells derived from aborted fetuses. "I think it's the ultimate pro-life position, because I believe being pro-life is not just caring for the unborn but caring for those who are living," he told NPR in 2007.
But like much of the Republican Party in Congress, Hatch returned to his conservative roots after the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. A supporter of the so-called individual mandate requiring people to have health insurance when it was the quasi-official GOP position in the early 1990s, Hatch became an outspoken foe. "Congress has never crossed the line between regulating what people choose to do and ordering them to do it," he said in 2010.
After moderate Utah Republican Sen. Robert Bennett was ousted in a primary in 2010 and replaced by conservative favorite Mike Lee, Hatch grew more conservative to win reelection in 2012. His final term in the Senate was marked by efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act and further restrict abortion access. The devout Mormon, who in his spare time wrote lyrics for best-selling Christian music, even called the ACA "the stupidest, dumb-a** bill that I've ever seen. Now some of you may have loved it; if you do, you are one of the stupidest dumb-a** people I've ever met." He later apologized for the statement.
A former Kennedy aide, Jim Manley, told The Salt Lake Tribune that "no one epitomizes the rightward lurch of the Republican Party more than Sen. Hatch."
In one final twist, however, Hatch pushed as his successor the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, Mitt Romney. In just his first few years, Romney has become one of the most moderate Republicans in the chamber. That may prove to be Orrin Hatch's final legacy.
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. It is an editorially independent operating program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation).
Continue reading here:
Sen. Orrin Hatch's legacy tracks the GOP's evolution on health - NPR
- Heart Stem Cell Therapy - - - University of Utah Health ... [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2014]
- Utah Stem Cell Therapy | Stem Cell Treatments [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2014]
- Utah Cord Bank | 1-877-UCB-STEM | [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2014]
- Teacher Guide: Stem Cell Multimedia Project ACTIVITY OVERVIEW [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2014]
- Stem Cells in India | Stem Cell Therapy in India | Quality ... [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2014]
- Tennis: Rafael Nadal to receive stem cell treatment for ... [Last Updated On: November 12th, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 12th, 2014]
- What Are Stem Cells? - CSA [Last Updated On: November 15th, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 15th, 2014]
- What are stem cells? - Craig A. Kohn | TED-Ed [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2014] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2014]
- Stem Cell Collection - University of Utah Internal ... [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2015] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2015]
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and its benefits on wound treatment [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2015] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2015]
- Heart Stem Cell Therapy | University of Utah Health Care [Last Updated On: April 18th, 2015] [Originally Added On: April 18th, 2015]
- Actionbioscience | Stem Cells for Cell-Based Therapies [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2015]
- Curriculum Index - University of Utah [Last Updated On: October 19th, 2015] [Originally Added On: October 19th, 2015]
- Amniotic Stem Cell Therapy in Salt Lake City, Park City Utah [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2016]
- Stem Cell Quick Reference - Learn Genetics [Last Updated On: November 18th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 18th, 2016]
- medicine.utah.edu - University of Utah School of Medicine [Last Updated On: November 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 23rd, 2016]
- Home - Department of Chemistry - The University of Utah [Last Updated On: November 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 23rd, 2016]
- Biochemistry - | University of Utah [Last Updated On: November 26th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 26th, 2016]
- Utah Stem Cells - Sports Medicine - 7430 Creek Rd, Sandy ... [Last Updated On: December 3rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 3rd, 2016]
- Stem Cell Therapy for Knees- Advanced Techniques [Last Updated On: December 6th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 6th, 2016]
- Fast facts about cloning - WPSD Local 6 [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2017]
- Reinventing tissue regeneration, one layer at a time - MedCity News [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2017]
- Q Therapeutics Expands Board of Directors With Appointment of Dr. Tom Parks as Independent Member - Marketwired (press release) [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2017]
- Adult Stem Cells' Role in Disease Management and Anti-Aging [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2017]
- Stem cell researchers discover promising lead in quest for hair regrowth - PhillyVoice.com [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2017]
- UCLA scientists identify a new way to activate stem cells to make hair grow - UCLA Newsroom [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2017]
- Scientists Discover New Hair Growth Technique Using Stem Cells - TrendinTech [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2017]
- Utah family sets up campground in Rexburg to fight cancer - Rexburg Standard Journal [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2017]
- FDA Cracks Down On Stem-Cell Clinics Selling Unapproved Treatments - Utah Public Radio [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2017]
- COLUMN: Let's make biological warfare a crime - Journal Gazette and Times-Courier [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2017]
- Utah Stem Cells - Cottonwood Heights, UT | Groupon [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2017]
- Adult Stem Cell Therapy in Utah Docere Clinics [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2017]
- Fasting for 24 hours regenerates stem cells, study finds ... [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2018] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2018]
- About Us | Utah Stem Cells [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2018] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2018]
- Transgenic Gene-Targeting Mouse Facility HSC Cores: Home [Last Updated On: July 8th, 2018] [Originally Added On: July 8th, 2018]
- Stem Cell Joint Regeneration | Utah Stem Cells [Last Updated On: July 26th, 2018] [Originally Added On: July 26th, 2018]
- PRP vs Stem Cell Injections | Southwest Spine and Pain Center [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2018]
- Stem Cells for Hair in Park City, Utah Docere Medical [Last Updated On: December 9th, 2018] [Originally Added On: December 9th, 2018]
- Utah Stem Cells - Salt Lake City, UT - Yelp [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2019] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2019]
- Mutation Generation & Detection HSC Cores: Home [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2019] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2019]
- Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Review: StemVive from Utah Cord ... [Last Updated On: April 27th, 2019] [Originally Added On: April 27th, 2019]
- Orthopedic Stem Cell Therapy in Utah for Painful Joints [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2019]
- Merus N.V. (MRUS) and PolarityTE Inc. (NASDAQ:PTE) Contrasting side by side - The Broch Herald [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2019] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2019]
- Intermountain to open new center for pediatric precision medicine - Healthcare IT News [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2019] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2019]
- Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (BCLI) and PolarityTE Inc. (NASDAQ:PTE) Contrasting side by side - The Broch Herald [Last Updated On: December 8th, 2019] [Originally Added On: December 8th, 2019]
- 5 Innovations From the Science of Senses Now. Powered by - Now. Powered by Northrop Grumman. [Last Updated On: December 8th, 2019] [Originally Added On: December 8th, 2019]
- These Vaginas Evolved to Fight the Penis, Not Accommodate It - VICE [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2020] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2020]
- On the Road to 3-D Printed Organs - The Scientist [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2020]
- Tolero Pharmaceuticals Announces Expansion of the Zella 102 Study in Patients with Intermediate and High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) -... [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Surplus antioxidants are pathogenic for hearts and skeletal muscle - The Mix [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- New Stem Cell Injury Lawsuit Filed StemVive & Utah Cord Bank [Last Updated On: June 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 15th, 2020]
- Childrens book, Olivias Tower: The Building Power of Cells - ABC 4 [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2020]
- A $50,000 Helmet Can Read User's Mind. And It's Ready - NDTV [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2021]
- Is the Tooth Fairy Real? the Origin Story to the Tooth Fairy, and Why It Is a Story Commonly Told Today - Digital Journal [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2021]
- Learn how to remove unwanted fat with procedures beyond liposuction - ABC 4 [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2021] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2021]
- US stem cell clinics boomed while FDA paused crackdown ... [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2021]
- Fasting boosts stem cells regenerative capacity | MIT ... [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2021]
- Stem Cell Quick Reference - University of Utah [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 28th, 2021]
- Efficacy and Safety of Sintilimab in Combination with Concurrent Chemo | CMAR - Dove Medical Press [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2022] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2022]
- The White Rim - Around Again - Cycling West - Cycling Utah [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2022] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2022]
- Effect of tensile frequency on osteogenic differentiation | IJGM - Dove Medical Press [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2022]
- Cloning and Stem Cells | Biological Principles [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2022] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2022]
- STEMTECH CORPORATION Partners with VERB in Launching Interactive Video and Livestreaming Sales Enablement Apps to Strengthen Direct Sales Channel -... [Last Updated On: July 27th, 2022] [Originally Added On: July 27th, 2022]
- Calendar of events, awards and opportunities - ASBMB Today [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2022]
- This Man Set the Record for Wearing a Brain-Computer Interface - WIRED [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2022] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2022]
- Brain Dissections: Neuroanatomy Video Lab - University of Utah [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2022] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2022]
- Brain-Like Organoids Grown in a Dish Provide Window into Autism - University of Utah Health Care [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2022] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2022]
- The History of Cloning - University of Utah [Last Updated On: October 29th, 2022] [Originally Added On: October 29th, 2022]
- Genes and Addiction - University of Utah [Last Updated On: November 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: November 6th, 2022]
- Stem Cells in Use - University of Utah [Last Updated On: November 6th, 2022] [Originally Added On: November 6th, 2022]
- The Stem Cell Debate: Is it Over? - University of Utah [Last Updated On: November 24th, 2022] [Originally Added On: November 24th, 2022]