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By Jim McNally | Statesville R&L

Published: July 16, 2009

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan and U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx are on opposite sides of a national health insurance proposal.

During a press conference Wednesday morning, Hagan (D-N.C.) called a new health insurance bill "a very important step for our country."

Fresh out of a meeting with fellow members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Hagan told members of the North Carolina press the bill would not have much of an impact at all on those who currently receive health insurance as part of their employee benefits.

"But it will really help those many people in this country who need it," she said.

Hagan said the committee voted to approve the bill and that if it is eventually signed into law by President Barack Obama, it would bring another 47 million Americans into the health care system.
The bill, called "Quality, Affordable Health Coverage for All Americans," passed the committee by a party-line vote of 13-10.

Hagan said the legislation would require businesses with at least 25 employees to offer insurance to workers or pay an annual fee of $750 for each full-time employee and $375 for each part-time employee.

Companies with fewer than 25 employees would be exempt from the "employer mandate."

Hagan would not speculate on whether or not the plan would be more or less controversial than any of the other health care proposals that have been floated in recent months.

She did say that the cost of the plan would likely raise the hackles of the opposition. That end of it will be dealt with by Senate Finance Committee.

"But I'll be interested in what the opponents might say," Hagan said. "I am concerned about the costs also, but (the plan) offers a way for people to find and keep health insurance."

She didn't have to wait long.

Foxx issued a statement Wednesday afternoon stating she would vote against the bill based on cost speculations and fears that abortion costs might be paid for with taxpayer dollars.

"I also promise that under no circumstances will I vote for a bill that does not specifically forbid taxpayer funded abortion or that mandates insurance coverage of abortion," Foxx said. "Taxpayer-funded abortion is a profound offense to the conscience of millions and millions of Americans and such policies have no place in a healthcare reform bill."

Foxx, a Republican whose 5th District includes most of Iredell County, also said the bill would do damage to companies that cannot afford to provide insurance to their employees.

"This legislation is going to harm the single largest source of job creation in America —small businesses," Foxx said. "Small businesses are the engine of economic growth and it makes no sense to penalize the sector of our economy that offers the best hope for a swift economic recovery."