Dems Keep Working Toward Health Care Deal, But Hurdles Remain
Leaders met at the White House yesterday for eight hours and claimed in a joint statement that they were making "significant progress in bridging the remaining gaps between the two health insurance reform bills."
Negotiators include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, leadership and relevant committee chairman. They are saying little on the details, and closed door meetings have become even more private by moving them from Capitol Hill to the White House.
How to pay for expanding health care to over 30 million Americans, however, has clearly been a major part of the negotiations. A tax on high-cost health insurance plans that is part of the Senate bill, and endorsed by President Obama, is opposed by a large majority of House Democrats. Labor leaders, who are concerned the tax would hit union worker's health care plans, have also been meeting with White House and Congressional leaders to try to hammer out an exemption for some workers.
There's also talk from members outside the negotiations that expanding the Medicare payroll tax to capital gains and other unearned income could also be included in the package.
House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) said early this morning that Democrats hope to send provisions to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) tomorrow to determine how much the bill would cost.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, however, would not commit to any timeline saying they will send numbers to the CBO just as quickly as they can.
Other details that must be ironed out include who would be eligible for subsidies to purchase health insurance and the thorny issues of abortion and immigration. Congressional aides would only say that discussions continue on all fronts and they are making progress.
Later this afternoon, Mr. Obama will also come to the hill to talk to all members of the House Democratic Caucus at their annual retreat.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
