Article published November 19, 2009
Reid reveals Senate version of bill to change U.S. health-care system
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Setting up a historic year-end health-care debate, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled long-awaited legislation last night to extend coverage to all but 6 percent of eligible Americans and bar private companies from denying insurance because of pre-existing medical conditions.
The Democrat’s $849 billion measure is designed to remake the nation’s health-care system. To cover costs, it relies on cuts in future Medicare spending; higher payroll taxes for the well-to-do, and a new levy on patients undergoing elective cosmetic surgery.
Aides said the 2,074-page bill would reduce deficits by $127 billion over a decade and by as much as $650 billion in the 10 years that follow. They cited estimates by the Congressional Budget Office not yet released.
“Tonight begins the last leg of this journey,” Senator Reid said.
Less than two weeks ago, the House approved its version of a sweeping remake of the U.S. health-care system. That was nearly 10 months after President Obama’s Inauguration Day summons to action.
Mr. Obama said, “Today, thanks to the Senate’s hard work, we’re closer than ever to enacting solutions to these problems. I look forward to working with the Senate and House to get a finished bill to my desk as soon as possible.”
There was no mention of Mr. Obama’s longtime goal of signing legislation by year’s end.
Republicans vowed a protracted struggle to block the legislation and deny the President a victory that would cap a tumultuous first year in office.
“This bill has been behind closed doors for weeks,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader. “Now it’s America’s turn, and this will not be a short debate. Higher premiums, tax increases, and Medicare cuts to pay for more government — the American people know that is not reform.”
A showdown on the Senate floor is expected by week’s end.
Mr. Reid’s Senate proposal would require most Americans to carry health insurance and would provide hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to help those at lower incomes afford it.
It also would mandate that large companies provide coverage to their workers.
Beginning in 2014, it would set up insurance marketplaces, called exchanges, primarily for those who now have a hard time getting or keeping coverage. Consumers would have the choice of purchasing government-sold insurance, an attempt to hold down prices charged by private insurers.
After weeks of secretive drafting, Mr. Reid outlined the legislation to rank-and-file Democratic senators at a closed-door meeting. “Everyone was positive,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) said.
Mr. Reid pointedly refrained from saying he had the 60 votes necessary to propel the bill over its first hurdle. With the support of two independents, Democrats have 60 seats, the precise number needed to choke off any delaying tactics by the 40 Republicans. They appear united in opposition to the bill in its current form.
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