U.S. healthcare reform gathers steam in Congress

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 10/9/09 | John Whitesides

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama's push for healthcare reform gathered steam on Thursday as a Senate panel scheduled a key vote for next week and Democrats in the House of Representatives moved closer to unveiling a bill.

The Senate Finance Committee will vote on Tuesday on its healthcare plan after budget analysts gave the bill a rosy report card, estimating it would meet Obama's goal of reducing the budget deficit over 10 years.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office put the cost at $829 billion, below Obama's $900 billion goal, in a report on Wednesday that cleared the way for likely committee passage and an eventual debate in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Republicans, concerned about the bill's costs and potential impact on the budget deficit, had demanded the estimate before they cast a vote on the proposal to dramatically transform the $2.5 trillion healthcare system.

"Today we stand closer than ever to fulfilling that fundamental promise, the one for which we have fought for more than 60 years," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said of healthcare reform.

Obama's healthcare drive, his top domestic priority, is aimed at cutting costs, regulating insurers and expanding insurance coverage to millions of Americans without it.

Shares of large health insurers slumped on Thursday as the CBO report fueled investor fears an overhaul that would damage the industry was headed for eventual approval.

Once approved by the Finance Committee, Reid and other party leaders will merge the panel's bill with one passed by the Senate health committee earlier this year for Senate consideration.

Republicans said the merger would reshape the bill again, and some disputed its calculations and said the actual cost would be much higher. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell labeled the CBO report "irrelevant."

[NormsRevenge]

Steam rises from fresh manure too. Maybe that's what the reporter is seeing.

[Harley]

They’re calling it Healthcare Reform again. I thought they had changed that to Health Insurance Reform? Which is is?

[SatinDoll]

Hmm...yes, it sure stinks. Wishful thinking in play.

Republicans or Democrats who want to be reelected in 2010 had better not vote for Obamacare. They should kill this bill.

True reform - YES! But this crapola - NO!

[ncalburt]

Whitesides is serial Dem party operative .

[Buckeye McFrog]

make it very clear to each member, a vote for cloture will be considered by us the same thing as a vote to pass come election day. We aren’t going to let them get away with this crap of voting yes on cloture and no on the bill anymore.

[Windflier]

Congress can employ whatever devious tricks they want to shove this abomination down the throats of the American people, but there will be repercussions - the least of which will likely be massive, and widespread civil disobedience.

It goes without saying that the Socialists will forfeit their congressional majority over this, should they ram it through.

[Logical me]

Every RAT that votes for this will be out in 2010 and ACORN cannot save you. The American people will hold you in contempt.

[griswold3]

but there will be repercussions - the least of which will likely be massive, and widespread civil disobedience.

I’m in!

[SierraWasp]

"and widespread civil disobedience"

This will be fun!!! I'm minimally "civil" and notorius for "disobedience"!!!