Only one thing is clear about the Senate health care bill now under consideration: The final bill will probably look a lot different than the $848 billion package introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Moderate Democrats who helped pass the 60-vote threshold needed to start the debate on Reid’s bill have already threatened to block a final vote on the bill unless significant changes are made, including the removal of the government-run health insurance program.
“If we create a government insurance company, it’s going to create a deficit and the taxpayers are going to have to pay for it, and I don’t want to do that,” Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who caucuses with Democrats, said on “Meet the Press.”
Senate Democratic leaders have already begun backroom negotiating on a new health care deal that can secure the vote of Lieberman, as well as moderate Democrats Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.
Possibilities include a “trigger” that would only activate the government plan if prices were too high and other ways to limit the reach of the new entitlement program at the heart of what Reid, President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are seeking.
“There are many variations on a theme,” Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said on “Meet the Press.” “I’m committed to a public option but we’re open because we want to pass this bill.”
Host David Gregory then asked him, “So the public option is negotiable?”
“It has been,” Durbin responded.
Nelson said on ABC’s “This Week” that he would oppose holding a final vote on the current legislation, in part because of the public option.
“I would have voted no,” Nelson said. “So I would not let it get off the floor.”
Nelson told The Examiner that in addition to the public option, he has a list of concerns he will address with Democratic leaders, including the cost of the legislation, the tax increases, the effect on the cost of private insurance and the possibility of adding to the deficit. Nelson also wants further restrictions on federal funding of abortion in the government-run health insurance exchanges that would be created under the plan.
Landrieu and Lincoln are also wary of the public option. Landrieu’s “yes” vote Saturday was secured with the promise of $300 million in federal aid for Louisiana, while Lincoln said her vote was simply to open debate on the bill and nothing more.
“Rather than create an entirely new government-run health care plan to compete with private insurers, I support health insurance reform that focuses on changing the rules of our existing employer-based private health insurance system,” Lincoln said.
Debate on the bill will begin Nov. 30, leaving the Senate just weeks to come up with a deal that can secure 60 votes.
Durbin warned the Christmas break would be shortened if the bill were not finished by then. He said Senate leaders wanted to move quickly to jobs legislation.
