Health care legislation would create dozens of new government programs that would be administered by thousands of new federal employees, that’s what Sen. Tom Coburn said while criticizing the proposal last Wednesday during a discussion on the Senate.

“If you don’t think that will put government between you and your care, you have no understanding of health care in America,” the Oklahoma Republican said during the third day of Senate debate on a bill to overhaul the nation’s health insurance system.

The Senate devoted hours for this debate on health care reform but held no votes on amendments since Republicans barred the action. Democratic leaders therefore accused Republicans of stalling and said that they are willing to stay in session through Christmas just to get the bill passed by the end of the year.

Coburn said that the government is already involved in 61 percent of health care in the United States and that includes Medicare, Medicaid and veterans’ and American Indian care. Coburn emphasized that it was “arrogant” of lawmakers to believe that they knew best how to improve the system.

In contrast, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said it wasn’t arrogant to try to help people get health insurance. He said that a recent study concluded that 44,000 people die each year because they lack health insurance.

“It’s not arrogant to fight for fundamental access to health care,” said Merkley.