Baucus to Push for Bipartisan Health Bill

(NEWSER) - Max Baucus took to the Wall Street Journal opinion page today to make the case for the health care reform bill he’s unveiling this morning. “Our plan would lower costs and would not add to the federal deficit,” he declares in the first of many statements about what he repeatedly calls “our plan,” and at one point calls the Senate Finance Committee plan. There’s just one problem: There seems to be no one beside Baucus behind the bill. More»

Reid tells Democrats to find compromise by tonight

(NEWSER) - Senate Democrats trying to hammer out a compromise on health care reform are considering ditching the bill's public option in favor of expanding the public options that already exist. People over 55 will be able to buy into the Medicare program and Medicaid will be expanded under the proposals being discussed, Politico reports. A government-administered national insurance plan similar to the one for federal workers would replace the public option under the proposals. More»

Snowe is only Republican 'yes' vote

(AP) - A pivotal Senate committee has approved a sweeping remake of the country's health care system, delivering a long-sought boost to President Obama's goal of expanding coverage. The 14-9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee sets up a historic debate on the Senate floor and moves health care overhaul closer to reality than it has been for decades. Olympia Snowe of Maine was the only Republican to join 13 committee Democrats in voting "yes." More»

As finance committee votes, caucus divided on how to fund reform

(NEWSER) - The Senate Finance Committee is poised to send its bill to the full legislature today, but its provision taxing "Cadillac" insurance plans is raising hackles in the House. Max Baucus and other senators say taxing high-cost plans will raise $200 billion, a quarter of the legislation's price tag, and keep costs down over time. But House members and union leaders say the tax burden will trickle down to workers and the middle class. Nancy Pelosi opposes the tax, as do two-thirds of House Democrats. More»

Ball's in Reid's court

(NEWSER) - The Senate Finance Committee voted down both proposed versions of the public option this afternoon, setting up a showdown between conservative Democrats—who sided with Republicans in opposing the creation of a government plan to compete with private insurers—and their liberal colleagues. Jay Rockefeller's amendment failed, 15-8, shortly before Chuck Schumer's reputedly more palatable proposal managed to sway two Democrats but went down to a 13-10 defeat. More»