Health Care Reform: One Bill Or Several?

Senate Democrats are working to translate President-elect Barack Obama’s health care campaign rhetoric into workable legislative proposals.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) share jurisdiction on health issues and have been working for months on health care reform. But whether that will yield one bill or several is still a key question.

An aide to Kennedy said the senator, who’s been away from the Senate while he battles brain cancer, wants supporters to rally behind a single bill.

“Our goal is to enable proponents of reform to unite behind one bill that can pass the Congress, go to the president and actually achieve affordable, quality health care for the American people,” said spokesman Anthony Coley.

An aide to Baucus didn’t make such a distinction.

In a letter to Obama Thursday, Baucus said he would release his comprehensive health reform plan next week.

“Many of my reform objectives as Finance Committee chairman will dovetail with your own health plan. In the places where our opinions and policy plans diverge, I am eager to work with you to achieve consensus,” Baucus wrote, adding that he would also work with Kennedy’s committee and the House to pass legislation.

Democrats and Republicans from both the Senate Finance and Health committees held 14 stakeholder meetings throughout the summer. And Kennedy reached out to Baucus this week, a Kennedy aide said, after several earlier conversations.