House Vote on Health Care Bill Could Be This Week
A vote on proposed health care legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last Thursday could come as early as this week, according to the Detroit Free Press. The House plan includes a public option that would negotiate rates with doctors and hospitals, rather than use prices set by the government. The Congressional Budget Office is scheduled to analyze the costs of the plan. House leaders have vowed to pass a bill by Nov. 11, however, such efforts may be waylaid by fights over abortion coverage.
In the Senate, which is entrusted with the task of melding two versions of legislation passed by the Senate Health Committee and Senate Finance Committee, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) said that he will begin debate on the legislation once he gets costs estimates form the Congressional Budget Office. The bill passed by the Senate Health Committee this summer included a public option; while the bill passed by the Senate Finance Committee did not. However, last week Reid announced that he would include a public option in the legislation that he planned to take to the Senate floor. However, Reid’s proposal includes an “escape hatch” – individual states could choose to “opt-out” of the public insurance plan by adopting non-participation laws.
Once the debate begins, Senate Democrats will need unanimous support from every party member to reach the 60-vote majority required to stop the anticipated GOP filibuster.
