Total Federal Control Over Health Insurance Industry. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) introduced this amendment to mandate that all state and private health insurance plans cover operations and procedures dictated by the federal government. The amendment would dictate to states what benefits they ought to pay their employees by decreeing "a floor of federal protection that is applicable to all individuals enrolled in private health plans or private health insurance coverage, including individuals enrolled in health insurance coverage purchased in the individual market; and … individuals enrolled in health plans offered to State and local government employees." Senator Don Nickles (R-OK) summarized the amendment this way: "We want the Federal Government to set standards, and, oh, States, you have to meet these standards. If not, the Federal Government is going to take over."
The Senate rejected the Dorgan amendment to H.R. 4577 on June 29, 2000 by a vote of 47-51 (Roll Call 167). We have assigned pluses to the nays.
