On Health Care, Now Comes the Really Hard Part

(CBS/iStockphoto)

It was his umpteenth health care deadline and the Senate finally helped President Obama avoid a big lump of coal in his legislative Christmas stocking.

It took until the morning of Christmas eve - on the 339th day of his presidency - for him to finally get health care bills out of both chambers of Congress.

He had hoped this process would have been completed over the summer, but the calendar takes a backseat to his determination to see his top domestic agenda item enacted into law early in the new year.

But now comes the really hard part. He's got to push the House and Senate to reconcile the difference between their separate measures

"I'll be rolling up my sleeves," said the president last evening of his intention to be personally engaged in helping the both chambers reach a compromise bill that each will pass.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Having been burned by deadlines in the past, the White House is careful not to set another, though there are two target dates next month by which Mr. Obama would like to sign a health care bill into law:

• January 20th – the start of his 2nd year in office

• Or a week later when he plans to deliver his first State of the Union Address.

To hear the president tell it, it shouldn't be that difficult to get a compromise bill to his desk.

"What's interesting is, the House version and the Senate version are almost identical," he told Jim Lehrer last evening on the PBS Newshour.

There are plenty of similarities, but "almost identical" requires a degree of wishful thinking.

The House bill provides for a "public option" government-run health care coverage. Not the Senate measure. There are significant differences in who and what get taxed in order paying for implementing the health care plan. And the two chambers set different standards on the degree to which abortions are covered by health insurance. In the House version, not at all, but the door is open a crack in the Senate plan. (Read more on the differences between the bills>)

If a compromise bill changes any of those provisions, it could significantly alter congressional support for the bill and even block final passage.

It's clear that what Mr. Obama has termed as a "grueling process" to reach this point in the health care battle, is far from over.

But he believes he's brought the process further along that any president before him. And he portrays himself as newly invigorated to push or drag a final measure across the finish line – regardless of the date.

More on Health Care:

Obama on Health Care: Our Challenge Is to Finish the Job
Chris Dodd: We Will Get This Done
Harry Reid Says "Nay" Before "Yea" During Vote
Republicans Compare Democrats to Ebenezer Scrooge
Senate, House Seek Health Care Compromise
When Health Care Changes Could Take Effect
How Filibusters Are Strangling the Senate
Abortion Still Threatens Health Care Bill
A Legal Challenge to Nelson's Health Deal?
Senate's Deal: Compromise or Corruption?
Comparison of Senate, House Health Care Bills

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(CBS)

Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/markknoller.

[Rdt4]

The problem is that abortion (the termination of a pregnancy by the removal from the uterus of a Fetus/Embryo, resulting in or caused by its death) is an atrocity that terminates the life of innocent Human Beings. The current bill allows provisions to pay for abortions, whether by insurance companys or tax payers. That alone should give anyone an indication of the corruption involved. A person's most fundamental right is the right to life, and abortion definately is a procedure that kills innocent Human Beings in their earliest stage of life. Until this fact is acknowledged there is little hope that Prenatal Children will be acknowledged as Human Beings worthy of the right to life, and there will be many more innocent, helpless Prenatal Children who will die by abortion regardless of who pays. Health care should be about supporting life, not terminating life.

[BeckieBest]

On the day of Christ's birth, Republicans are outraged at the prospect of ordinary, hard-working, Americans having access to affordable health care.



Kinda makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside doesn't it?



Merry Christmas!

[JavMD]

its NOT rocket science for solutions...

if you truly want to assist the AVERAGE american (who does not even begin to think about vacationing in Hawaii, especially in these economic times is:

1. DROP Congress-Senate own health care and let them go out into the real world and get 'prices' on health care... Those costs are outrageous and keep RISING... without care to who is well and who is sick
2. (Drop Congress-Senate retirement bene and make them be apart of social security)
3. GIVE ME TAX BREAKS.. instead of billions of dollars to 'COMPANIES" that still give super executive bonuses, give me tax breaks directly instead of 'rebates' on buying a new car or a new house ! I can't afford 72 month car payment or alone a new house.. I'm bearing paying my existing mortgage !
a.. Tax break on health costs, presently its at least 12% on real bills versus 'premiums'... give me tax break on 'premiums' NOT A FINE

SOMEONE calculate the billions to bail out banks, yet bankers get pay raises yet we have a PAY CZAR... are you reading the NEWS?
INSTEAD OF Generic stimulus for 'roads and bridges' ending up going to minimal construction workers for a minimal time... GIVE TAX rebates for everyone... NOT JUST A FEW !

[BeckieBest]

Yawwwwwnn................

[BeckieBest]

Jav


Not rocket science?

No one would ever acuse you of being a rocket scientist after reading your rambling, incoherant posts.

[BeckieBest]

The last time Republicans killed health care reform, they just sat by happily and watched as health care costs more than doubled.


Health care costs are projected to double again in the next 7 years if we do nothing.


But Republicans want you to believe that doing nothing is the solution.


Fool me once...........................

[mahalapril]

Haven't you been reading and researching the real news and bills. The other party have been shut out by the arrogant majority democrats. The first thing should be malpractice insurance reform which the majority trial lawyers in congress and outside contributing to the democrats. This alone will eliminate the defensive medicine practice of doctors and lower health care costs. How about the cross- state business for insurance companies to encourage competition.The private health insurance companies are demonized when they only have a 3% profit margin, much lower than other companies,movie stars,sport stars,singing stars,wall street, the big banks,carmakers. You should educate yourself. By the way you should know that I am an internist-nephrologist if you even know what that specialty and subspecialty are.

[BeckieBest]

Republicans simply waked away from the table.

If they really wanted to work with Democrats, they'd sit down with them and negotiate to make this legislation better.

Instead they're just fear mongering and obstructing from the sidelines.

[JavMD]

reveal" says I'm signing in as a doctor.. WRONG...

I have a 'beater' car from the 1970, named a Javelin, Mark Donohue race edition, sitting in my driveway, no engine no tranny, because now
I'm paying outrageous health insurance premiums, rising every year, though i'm in good health, raising interest rates on my credit card and Congress 'passes' legislation (that did nothing except tell banks to notify me earlier !)
Wheres my schedule A deduction promised during the campaign ! (by Democrats!)
My premiums will NOT change, just like banks have not changed because of these LAWS !, NOW i'll get "FINED" because I drop my health insurance so I can pay my mortgage, food, gasoline !

You're a dreamer and assume too much... signed... JavMD

[BeckieBest]

It warms the heart to see you and other Rushpublicans fighting so hard to protect big insurance companies right to rob Americans.


Merry Christmas!

[JavMD]

"reveal4" you're a dreamer...
my blog name is for a 1970 car named Javelin, Mark Donohue race edition...google it.
STOP Assuming things ! ask if I'm a doctor, I'm a teacher !

Just because Congress enacts 'laws' actually read them.

Bank reform law... the credit card interest rates still went higher !

Stimulus... high unemployment rate continues !

Foreclosures... continue..

What has Congress Senate done right...
and get off the Republican chant...

understand BOTH parties do not have the AVERAGE american interest at heart, when they have their own health care system (and retirement bene)

You have drank too much 'change ...we can ... Kool AId.

You cannot ignore the data, not from the fringe the last 10 months... unemployement and house foreclosure,
continuing high executive and banker pay raises... all by a Democrat controlled White House, Congress and Senate !!!!

[BeckieBest]

Where are the Republican solutions to fix our broken system and give Americans relief from the crushing burden of out of control health care costs?


So far all we've seen from Republicans is fear mongering, and obstructionism.

[mahalapril]

Unfortunately as we have no more money because of the massive spending,massive debt/deficit despite increasing taxes,increasing insurance premiums, and universal coverage of millions more Americans, we will eventually be forced to take only the Medicare and Medicaid insurance which doctors won't accept and the Gov't will be forced to have only salaried doctors and many doctors will retire prematurely or move out of the US just like Europe and Canada. There will be rationing,long waiting periods for PCP appointments and surgeries,no more treatment of advanced diseases with very expensive life prolonging drugs ,no incentive for research of new wonder and life-prolonging drugs just like Europe and Canada whose socialized medicine are imploding because they are bankrupt. These are the inevitable outcomes of all single-payer,socialized health care. We should get rid now of the incompetent,corrupt,tyrannical,pathologic lying,tax cheating,traitor,islamic loving,anti-America,anti-US Military,anti-CIA,anti-Police, powerful,arrogant, out of control,gangster, and traitor current Gov't by the US military who have the constitutional and legal duty to defend and protect the American people and the US from all threats foreign and domestic which the current Gov't qualify as a domestic threat to our country before the irreversible destruction of the American people and our homeland.

[BeckieBest]

I see a lot of whining and fear mongering but no solutions.

Do you have any solutions to fix our broken system and give American citizens and the economy some relief from the skyrocketing cost of health care?


Hello?

Skippy?

[BeckieBest]

Here's an extensive list of every peace of health care reform legislation that Republicans have put forward in the last 40 years:













That's right, nothing!


Still think they care about skyrocketing health care costs and the crushing effect that has on ordinary Americans?


Merry Christmas!

[BeckieBest]

reveal


Thanks!








Merry Christmas!

[BeckieBest]

Republican perscription for health care reform:


Don't get sick.


But if you do, die quickly.



lol!

[JavMD]

Get REAL on subsidize health care...

So.. when I have to have health insurance,, the Blue Cross Blue Shield. etc etc... LOWERS my monthly premium because i'm lower middle class. AFRAID NOT !

and since I'm barely employed, trying to keep my house (from being foreclosed on, worrying about superhigh gasoline prices returning, hurting me driving to work, can't get a better car, who wants a 72 month car payment (just because an 8000 dollar rebate was available) to the wealthy to turn in their expensive SUV for a brand new car !).

OPEN Your EYES !... the poor can't pay a health insurance premium bill to wait for the government to give me a reduction on my schedule A tax a year later ! WAKE UP... I can't afford to feed, cloth and shelter my family now, living paycheck to paycheck...
DO you realize how many lower middle class dropped their super high insurance payments to use that money to survive DAILY (living expenses!)
You're a dreamer