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Reid unveils $849 billion health care bill
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
11/18/09 6:50 PM EST
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| Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. gestures while speaking on health care reform during a news conference, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington. |
Sen. Democratic leaders Wednesday night unveiled an $849 billion health care reform proposal that would expand health insurance coverage to 31 million people and reduce the federal deficit by $127 billion over the first 10 years and up to $650 billion in the following decade, according to a senior Democratic aide.
The bill includes a government-run health insurance option with an opt-out provision for the states and it also includes a provision to create a privately run cooperative that would oversee health insurance exchanges.
The aide said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to introduce the bill tomorrow and a vote could come as early as this weekend, although that has not been decided yet.
The bill will be posted online at some point, but it may not be today.
Liberal Democrats were hailing the bill as they went into a closed-door meeting with Reid, but moderates are warning there is a lot in the bill they don't like, including the public health insurance option.
UPDATE -- Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin says that a vote to move the bill forward in the Senate will be held on Saturday.
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