Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who will retire at the end of the 2018 Congressional session after 42 years in the Senate, left a complicated health policy legacy freshman lawmakers will have to contend with as the new session of Congress begins Jan. 3, according to Kaiser Health News.
Here are seven ways Mr. Hatch influenced federal health policy during his tenure:
1. Mr. Hatch, 84, played key roles in promoting the 1983 Orphan Drug Act, which aimed to spur drug development for rare diseases, and the 1984 National Organ Transplant Act, which created a national organ transplant registry.
2. In 1995, he testified before the Senate for the reauthorization of funds for the Ryan White CARE Act to treat uninsured HIV and AIDS patients.
3. Mr. Hatch also co-sponsored a number of bills with Democrats throughout his tenure, often partnering with former Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, who died in 2009. The senators were instrumental in passing legislation to create the Children's Health Insurance Program in 1997.
4. During the Reagan administration in the 1980s, Mr. Hatch was appointed chairman of what is now the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The committee is responsible for overseeing the FDA, CDC and National Institutes of Health, among other agencies. He was also appointed as a member of the Senate Finance Committee in 2011, and later became chairman.
5. The watchdog organization Center for Responsive Politics notes Mr. Hatch received the third-most contributions from the pharmaceutical and health sectors among members of Congress.
6. While Mr. Hatch did work to lower drug prices, his efforts to change the industry were mixed. The 1984 Hatch-Waxman Act promoted the development of cheaper generic drugs, but also rewarded brand-name pharmaceutical companies by extending their patents on certain medications, the report states.
7. While bipartisanship was a hallmark of Mr. Hatch's early Senate career, he denounced many bipartisan efforts during his last few years. He strongly opposed the ACA and referred to ACA supporters as the "stupidest, dumbass people" he had ever met. However, he later apologized for his remarks.
To access the full report, click here.