Karen Ignani, chief of America's Health Insurance Plans, insists her industry hasn't walked away from the negotiating table. But a hired hand appears to be promoting a scorched-earth policy against Democrats.

The Huffington Post reports today that Steve Champlin, a lobbyist for the Duberstein Group who represents AHIP, declared that the road to a bipartisan health care reform bill is dead.

"There is absolutely no interest, no reason Republicans should ever vote for this thing. They have gone from a party that got killed 11 months ago to a party that is rising today," Champlin is quoted in remarks at an opening session of AHIP's annual State Issues Conference.