No Vote on Health Care Reform Before Fall: Reid

Senate bill will include government health plan, with opt-out

(NEWSER) - Harry Reid will include a public insurance plan in the pending health care reform bill, with a provision allowing individual states to refuse to participate. The Senate majority leader’s bill is likely to include an “opt-out” version of the public plan, taken from the Senate health committee, as well as provisions for the creation of nonprofit health care cooperatives, taken from the finance committee’s version of the legislation. More»

Opt-out plan bridged divides in Dem caucus

(NEWSER) - The public health insurance plan was brought back from the brink of oblivion thanks to Harry Reid's swift adoption of an "opt-out" plan brought to his attention just three weeks ago. In backroom negotiations with members of the Democratic caucus, the majority leader found that the federal approach bridged the gap between conservative and liberals on the issue, roping in the 60 votes needed to break a Republican filibuster. More»

Obama, Reid warm to Snowe 'trigger' plan phased in state by state

(NEWSER) - The White House and Congress are now wrangling to reconcile the five health care bills on the floors of the House and Senate, and no issue is causing greater headaches than the so-called public option. The Senate Finance Committee's bill, which has the support of Republican Olympia Snowe, doesn't have one, but the Maine senator says she favors a "trigger" that would establish a public plan on a state-by-state basis if private plans aren't affordable enough. The White House likes the idea, but liberal Dems worry about Snowe's growing clout. More»

Kennedy's death left a void—and no one is stepping up to fill it

(NEWSER) - As Democrats fight among themselves over health care, it’s becoming painfully clear that they lack a clear public leader on the issue, writes Manu Raju for Politico. In part it’s because, with a number of House and Senate committees involved, there are too many cooks stirring the pot, and in part because there’s no Ted Kennedy-esque figure who commands respect. Liberals distrust Max Baucus; Chris Dodd, who stepped in for Kennedy and drafted a competing bill, is more focused on financial reform. More»

Health care takes center stage in 'consequential' recess

(NEWSER) - With health care reform hanging in the balance, the August congressional recess is likely to be a lot less relaxing than usual, writes Glenn Thrush in Politico. What to watch:

1. Health insurers’ response to Nancy Pelosi’s singling them out as the "bad guys" on soaring health care costs. Will we see a counterattack like the “Harry and Louise” ads of the Clinton era?
2. President Obama’s approval rating. If his numbers keep falling, it will make it tough for Dems “to sell anything.”