Health Bill Faces Crucial Senate Vote  11/21 10:16

   Democratic senators pressed ahead Saturday toward a crucial first vote on 
President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, a test of party unity in the 
face of solid Republican opposition.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic senators pressed ahead Saturday toward a 
crucial first vote on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, a test of 
party unity in the face of solid Republican opposition.

   "There's much we need to do to make sure we have a health care system that 
works for all people, not just a few," said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., as 
debate got under way in a rare weekend session.

   Democratic leaders are optimistic of success, but they need every Democrat 
and both independents to vote "yes," and two moderates remained uncommitted 
ahead of the roll call, which is expected around 8 p.m. EST. The vote will 
determine whether debate can go forward on Majority Leader Harry Reid's 
2,074-page bill to dramatically remake the U.S. health care system over the 
next decade.

   Most everyone would be required to purchase insurance under Reid's 
legislation, and billions in new taxes would be levied on insurers and 
high-income Americans to help extend coverage to 30 million uninsured. 
Insurance companies would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people with 
medical conditions or drop coverage when someone gets sick.

   The two holdouts are Sens. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of 
Louisiana. A third centrist, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, announced Friday that he'd 
be supporting his party on the test vote, while cautioning that it didn't mean 
he'd be with them on the final vote.

   "It is not for or against the new Senate health care bill," Nelson said. "It 
is only to begin debate and an opportunity to make improvements. If you don't 
like a bill, why block your own opportunity to amend it?"

   If that same reasoning holds with Lincoln and Landrieu, Reid, D-Nev., will 
have the 60 votes he needs to prevail in the 100-seat Senate. The 40 
Republicans are unanimously opposed.

   Landrieu has made comments suggesting she'll support the move to debate, but 
Lincoln, who faces a difficult re-election next year, carefully avoided taking 
any public position Friday.

   Republicans used their weekly radio and Internet address to slam the 
legislation, calling it a government takeover of health care that would 
increase taxes and raise medical costs.

   "This 2,000-page bill will drive up the cost of health care insurance and 
medical care, not down," Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said in the address. "This 
is not true health care reform, and it is not what the American people want. 
This bill will result in higher premiums and higher health care costs for 
Americans --- period."

   The White House issued a statement late Friday praising the Senate measure.

   The action in the Senate comes two weeks after the House approved a health 
overhaul bill of its own on a 220-215 vote. After the vote Saturday night, 
senators will leave for a Thanksgiving recess. Upon their return, assuming 
Democrats prevail on the vote, they will launch into weeks or more of 
unpredictable debate on the health care bill, with numerous amendments expected 
from both sides of the aisle and more 60-vote hurdles along the way.

   Senate leaders hope to pass their bill by the end of the year. If that 
happens, January would bring work to reconcile the House and Senate versions 
before a final package could land on Obama's desk.

   The bills have many similarities, including the new requirements on insurers 
and the creation of new purchasing marketplaces called exchanges where 
self-employed individuals and small businesses could go to shop for and compare 
coverage plans. One option in the exchanges would be a new government-offered 
plan, something that's opposed by private insurers and business groups.

   Differences include requirements for employers. The House bill would require 
medium and large businesses to cover their employees, while the Senate bill 
would not require them to offer coverage but would make them pay a fee if the 
government ends up subsidizing employees' coverage.

   Another difference is in how they're paid for. The Senate bill includes a 
tax on high-value insurance policies that's not part of the House bill, while 
the House would levy a new income tax on upper-income Americans that's not in 
the Senate measure. The Senate measure also raises the Medicare payroll tax on 
income above $200,000 annually for individuals and $250,000 for couples. Both 
bills rely on more than $400 billion in cuts to Medicare.


(KM)