Sen. Mike Johanns said Thursday the new Senate health care reform package would "threaten the health care choice of millions."

The bill, crafted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., creates "a whole new government open-ended entitlement program," Johanns said.

The measure "does cut Medicare, does raise taxes, does increase (insurance) premiums," the Republican senator said during a conference call from Washington.

The bill's language prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortion procedures represents "a substantial weakening" of the strict language approved in the earlier House bill, Johanns said.

That language was written to prevent use of any federal subsidized support for abortions as well as direct use of federal funds, he said.

"This bill is so flawed," Johanns said. "There is a better approach."