James C. Capretta, of the conservative magazine National Review, wrote a piece last night responding to the House healthcare bill, saying that the bill is “a total fiscal and health policy disaster.”

Capretta claims that the bill attempts to mislead the public into thinking that the bill is worth less than $1 trillion by ignoring the repeal of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Capretta also objects to the increase in Medicaid eligibility from 133% of the federal poverty line to 150%, due to the increase in taxes that will be incurred from this. In effect, Capretta says that the bill plays into the continuing liberal attempt to increase the size and scope of the federal government:

To sum it up, the House bill is nothing but a massive, uncontrolled federal entitlement expansion — at a time when the central, looming threat to the nation’s long-term prosperity is the unaffordable health-care entitlements already on the federal books.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

Capretta’s article comes after the House Republican Conference Chair, Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), said in an interview with CNN that the House healthcare bill “really is a government takeover of health care in America.” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and House Minority WHIP Roy Blunt (R-MO) expressed similar concerns toward an expansion of government involvement in healthcare.

There seems to be a consensus among conservatives in opposition to the House healthcare bill, citing their fundamental opposition to increasing the reach of the federal government. And, it is true that this bill will increase the scope of federal oversight in healthcare – but, as Evan McMorris-Santoro at Talking Points Memo points out, Republicans (and specifically conservative Republicans) have yet to offer any alternative. Rep. Pence did say that he would like to see bipartisan efforts to cover those with preexisting conditions – beyond that we have heard almost no alternative ideas from the right, just opposition.

We will have to wait and see if liberals, moderates, and conservatives in Congress will work out a compromise bill as negotiations unfold.