Senate Will Debate Health Care Reform After Thanksgiving

Photograph of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., center, embracing Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V., as Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., left, looks on by Jose Luis Magana/

Last night, the Senate voted to debate health care legislation after Thanksgiving, in a 60-39 vote along party lines. Two weeks after the House passed its health care legislation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) said, "The road to this point has been started many times. It has never been completed."

The Wasington Post reports, "After days of indecision, the last two Democratic holdouts -- Sens. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Mary Landrieu (La.) -- joined their caucus in supporting a motion to begin debate... Like Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), a holdout until Friday, Lincoln and Landrieu said they will press Reid for further changes to the bill before committing to its final passage. Above all, the Democratic caucus remains bitterly divided over a government-run insurance option."

The NY Times adds that their indecision suggests "more horse-trading lies ahead and that major changes might be required if the bill is to be approved" and that Reid may have to convince a Republican to vote for "the Senate bill [which] seeks to extend health benefits to roughly 31 million Americans who are now uninsured, at a cost of $848 billion over 10 years." Also, Landrieu is apparently working—with Senators Thomas Carper (D-Delaware) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) on a version of a public option with more appeal.

Politico outlines the ways health care reform could fall apart—one is the debate over the Stupak amendment.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 22, 2009 10:05 AM

Comments [rss]

chicklet

20 pounds of paper, at least 80 new government bureaucracies, and taxes. Taxes on business if you buy insurance, more taxes if you don't. How will businesses create jobs so we can get out of the recession if their taxes go up? The bill gives certain states money in exchange for their senator's vote, I love that.

Should this become law, the debt will skyrocket, and it's unlikely that anyone under 40 will ever see a dime of social security, considering these folks will force younger people (20 and 30-somethings) to subsidize everyone else. Only by forcing everyone into mandated insurance at rates higher than they otherwise would pay can coverage be expanded to older people (40 and 50-somethings) who can't or won't pay for their own health insurance.

All this plus pay cuts to doctors and hospitals, no malpractice reform and a huge expansion to Medicaid, which is paid for 50% by the State, so we'll see state taxes go up as well. 2010 can't come soon enough!

JacqueMehoff

it was so funny watching the Republicans debate during their hour. they are so out of touch but many politicians are. I wonder did they ever receive a denial of service, or a letter saying they're reached their limit of service or a prescription will not be filled because it's not generic. Talk about limiting your choices, it's done NOW, just like they like to use the word "rationing" again, it's already being rationed.

airtech1

Any document over 2,000 pages is "too big." For the Senators, they're mulling this burning question: how can I vote and showboat in such a way as to get re-elected.

Splicer

The American people want this by a significant margin and that's what should matter. Forgetting the lunacy of the Teabaggers, the position against public or socialized healthcare is coming from one place: The insurance industry. More businesses that are "too big to fail"? I think after this legislation is done, Congress should seriously look into breaking up anything that's "too big".