BOSTON -- Nine of Massachusetts' 10 congressional delegation members toed the Democratic line and voted in favor of the House health care reform bill pushed through by a narrow vote in Washington over the weekend, with the exception of U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, who held to his contention that the bill was flawed and favors the insurance industry.

"We're paying the ransom, so to speak, but the insurance companies are still holding the hostages," Lynch said.

Lynch held firm despite heavy pressure from House Democrats and even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying the bill, which will cost $938 billion, was too costly.

Meanwhile, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's name was invoked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as she lobbied for passage, saying he called health care reform "the great unfinished business of our society ... that is, until today."

Kennedy's widow, Vicki, released a statement after the vote saying, "Health care was the cause of his life. Tonight that cause becomes more than a dream, it becomes America's commitment."

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick lauded passage of the bill and U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said the rest of the country is simply getting in line with what Massachusetts has already done, but the commonwealth's newly-elected Republican Sen. Scott Brown derided the vote, saying, "Leaders in Washington continue to ignore the will of the people. Americans have sent a message to Washington for the past year, including with my election, that they are opposed to this multi-trillion healthcare bill that will raise taxes, increase premiums, cut Medicare and leave future generations with a mountain of debt."

The Massachusetts Medical Society chimed in, offering its approval of the measure, but adding that its support remains qualified.

"There are many issues that require action, because they compromise the ability of patients to get the high quality of care they need and deserve. Most urgently, Congress must immediately implement a permanent reform of the flawed Medicare physician payment formula," the group said in a prepared statement.

In Boston's blue-collar Chinatown neighborhood, patrons at the South Street diner said they approved of the vote.

"I think it's always a good thing for health care to be available to every American citizen. There's no reason for people to be left out in the cold," one man said.

"It's going to help people who can't afford health care and it's in the right step, there's a lot of work to do still," another said.

"There's a lot of people that are very poor, that are working poor, and you know what? They need coverage too. So I'm glad that it's passed and they can get on to more important things, like putting this country back to work," another man said.